Laundry Shots
by Andrew Joshua Talon
Summary: What is this story: Humor? Drama? Romance? Crack? In a word, yes. In four words, all of the above. Enjoy! Rated for language.
1. Chapter 1

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused  
_

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit  
_

_- - - - - -_

It was a tragedy that no one had a camera to capture Byakuya's expression. They'd probably never see that again.

Renji was already on the floor, sucking his thumb curled up in a fetal position. Ichigo cleared his throat.

"Ah... Hello, Byakuya... Didn't expect you back for... Another hour?"

Rukia nodded, also looking rather mortified.

Byakuya still couldn't say a word, eyes locked firmly on the fact that his sister was dressed in one of his uniforms, hair pieces and all (though the entire outfit was in shreds), while Ichigo Kurosaki, in full Bankai mode and a partial Hollow mask on his face, were on top of his desk. Together. And were they...?

Renji whimpered.

"For the record, I'm _definitely_ not gay," Ichigo supplied. "It was Rukia's idea!"

"Well, being submissive and in a battle are real turn-!" Rukia began, only to fall silent as Byakuya turned around, and slowly walked away, that look of horror still stuck on his face.

Renji just sobbed and began to cry for his mommy.

- - - - - -

_Omake number 2 next chapter. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused   
_

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit   
_

_- - - - - -_

It was a tragedy that no one had a camera to capture Byakuya's expression. They'd probably never see that again.

"Captain Kuchiki! I uh... This... This isn't what it looks like!"

Vice-Captain Ise Nanao. A trustworthy, dignified, intelligent woman Byakuya respected, especially in light of how her captain treated her.

In his bedroom.

Holding a pair of his simple, silken white boxers.

"Vice-Captain Ise," Byakuya began, "why are you holding a pair of my underwear?"

"Er... Ah... Well... It was..." Ise began. Byakuya prayed she had a reasonable explanation. Or even made up one. Something to keep his happy illusion that Soul Society still had sane, non-perverted residents.

"OI, NANAO! WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG? WHAT IS IT, BOXERS OR BRIEFS?!" Shouted the familiar voice of Vice-Captain Matsumoto Rangiku. Ise coughed. Byakuya continued to stare.

"Boxers," Byakuya called. "Now please, get out of my house."

- - - - - -

_Omake number 3 next chapter _


	3. Chapter 3

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused. _

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit. _

_- - - - - -_

It was a tragedy that no one had a camera to capture Byakuya's expression. They'd probably never see that again.

"Hi-Hisana?!"

His beloved (and supposedly _dead_ wife) was smiling happily at him. "Hello my Lord. How do you fair?"

"I-You-How-?"

Hisana sighed. "Well, my Lord, that's kind of what I wanted to talk about... But first..." An enraged look entered Hisana's eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING TRYING TO KILL MY BABY SISTER?!"

"N-Now dear, t-try to under-! What is that thin-?"

_CLANG!_

"OW!"

"_That_ is for trying to kill Rukia, _that_ is for trying to kill her wonderful boyfriend, _this_ is for wearing those _ridiculous_ looking hair pieces-!"

_CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!_

In the other room, Rukia could only look at Ichigo in utter disbelief. Ichigo just smirked back.

"What did you call that thing again?" Rukia asked.

"A frying pan. No wife with an idiotic husband is complete without it," Ichigo chuckled evilly, listening to Byakuya's cries for mercy and Hisana's continuing rants. It was too bad he didn't see Rukia's speculative expression.

_I wonder if they make bunny-shaped frying pans...?_

- - - -

_No, I have no idea how Hisana came back. Maybe she turned into a Hollow or something, I dunno. Byakuya being hit over the head with a frying pan was just too good to pass up. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_Warning: Implied yuri this chapter. Don't like, don't read._

_- - - - - -_

It was a tragedy that no one had a camera to capture Byakuya's expression. They'd probably never see that again.

"Nii-sama? Are you all right?" Rukia asked, concerned. Hesitantly, she poked him. No response.

"Oh my... Did we break him?" Orihime asked innocently. "Because I've heard that shifting your paradigm without a clutch is painful..."

Rukia turned back to her lover with a bemused smile. Just another one of the things she loved about her orange-haired princess.

"_Possibly_... On the other hand, he's taking it better than Ichigo did." Closing the door in front of Byakuya's face, still stuck in that horrified expression. "Now, where were we?"

"Hm? Oh! Oh dear, horrible evil Arrancar woman! Don't slake your immortal lusts with my nubile body!" Orihime read from a card, shaking in a _very_ brief version of her school uniform. Rukia smirked behind her fake Arrancar mask.

"You just _seem_ to be asking for it," she purred, before pouncing.

Later, the servants would find Byakuya in his office, drinking expensive sake like it was going out of style and asking himself where he'd gone wrong...

- - - - - - -

_Omake number 5 next chapter._


	5. Chapter 5

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_- - - - - -_

Hanatarou can't deny he's Soul Society's bitch, but there were days like this that made it all worth it.

"Oh, thank you Hanatarou-kun! You got exactly what I asked for!" Vice-Captain Kotetsu Isane gushed, hugging the box to her chest. Hanatarou rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a red tint to his cheeks.

"It-It was no problem, vice-captain..." Hantarou stuttered. Kotetsu beamed.

"You were so nice to get this for me from the Living World on your trip! Thank you!" She enthused. Hanatarou nodded.

"Is there anything I can do for you in return?" Isane asked. A very, very small part of Hanatarou suggested asking her for something that almost made him nosebleed.

"Oh, uh, ah, n-nothing Vice-Captain! I'm h-happy to serve!" He bowed. Kotetsu smiled and nodded.

"If you say so... Dismissed," she said, and with that Hanatarou was gone. Isane frowned as she looked over the box's contents.

_Most other guys would have bragged about this up and down headquarters, but not Hanatarou... I should do something nice to repay him... But what?_

Looking again at the package contents, Isane's smile became a bit wicked.

A few hours later, Hanatarou was eating lunch (alone, as usual) in the Division 4 mess. A black-clothed body entered his field of vision, and he looked up to see a slightly blushing Isane smiling down at him. He made to get up, but the Vice-Captain held out a hand to stop him.

"It's all right, Hanatarou-kun... I'm just here to thank you again for your good work," she said with a grin. She handed him a small envelope and winked, walking out with red cheeks. Hanatarou, blushing a bit himself, opened the envelope.

_I wonder... What could she have...?_

A note and a few photos were inside. Hanatarou took out the note first, and read it, eyes widening a bit.

"_Since you went to so much trouble to get me this, you should also be able to enjoy it,_" he read aloud quietly. He pulled out the first photo. His eyes grew even wider as his face went bright red.

"GAH!" He gasped. He dropped the photo to try and stem the flow of blood from his nose, and to keep it from getting on the picture of Kotetsu Isane wearing a _very_ revealing swimsuit and a slightly embarrassed smile.

_It was hard enough to look at it when she wasn't in it!_ He thought, though he couldn't help the dreamy smile that refused to leave his face. Even with the nosebleed.


	6. Chapter 6

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_- - - - - -_

"Okay, before anything else, I want you to know: This wasn't my idea."

Aizen blinked. He'd seen long centuries filled with wonder, violence, and intrigue. He'd made Hueco Mundo into his domain and was poised to crush and conquer all of Creation, becoming a true God.

This, however... Was something new.

"Ah, when I told her you didn't want to, er, ya know, see her, she... Insisted," Gin explained, his usual smile a bit strained. This was most likely due to the zanpakuto held at his throat and the arm bent behind his back. Both action performed by small, but surprisingly strong hands. Hands which belonged to a rather deranged looking Hinamori Momo.

"Aizen-taichou..." She hissed. "You son of a bitch."

"Ah, Hinamori-kun," Aizen replied, his shocked face replaced by his usual Evil Overlord ™ smile. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Surprised? Thought you could get away with it, did you?" Hinamori growled. Aizen's Evil Overlord ™ smile grew just a hair.

"Killing you? Taking the Orb of Distortion? Conquering the universe? Of course I know I can get away with it."

Gin coughed, his smile becoming a bit more amused, as though he had a secret. Well, Aizen allowed that Gin always smiled like he had a secret, but this one seemed to pertain to the current situation.

"Not _that_, you pompous, ignorant asshole!" Hinamori snarled. She slashed Gin's still smiling head off, letting him fall away to reveal Hinamori... Wearing a pink maternity dress... Under which she had a rather prominent belly. Aizen's eyes widened just a bit, at the death of his right-hand man and the reveal.

"YOU KNOCKED ME UP YOU BASTARD!" She screamed. "AND NOW YOU HAVE TO PAY !"

"Pay? Pay what?" Aizen asked, the situation becoming more and more surreal. Hinamori smiled unpleasantlu, holding the released _Tobiume _out.

"_Bankai_," she murmured, her sword shifting into a long, blossom-covered whip. Her grin widened. Aizen's face paled.

"It's a much better whip than the old one, isn't it, Aizen-taichou? But it looks like I'll need to use it to get you in shape for the children!"

"Oh God, not that," Aizen actually whimpered, backing away from the insane woman. "Why, _why_ didn't I make sure I killed you before?!"

"Payback's a bitch, Aizen-taichou! HIIIYAAAHHHHH!"

Aizen blinked his eyes groggily, his chin resting on his palm. He frowned and carefully looked about his throne room.

Satisfied he was alone... He allowed a shudder to run through his body. He then chuckled to himself. What did have to fear from Hinamori? If she was not already dead, she was broken beyond repair and no threat.

It wasn't like he was actually _scared_ of his former pawn, now was it? Just a dream. Nothing more.

"Aizen-taichoouuuu," crooned an all-too familiar voice.

"GAH!" Aizen cried, jumping in his seat. He turned and deathglared a now smirking Ichimaru Gin.

"Gin! You...!"

"Lighten up, Aizen-taichou." The former Third Division captain shook his head. "For someone whose gonna be God, you really need to relax."

- - - - - - - -

_Yes, I know, it sucks. shrug It's crack, what do you expect?_

_Omake 7 next chapter._


	7. Chapter 7

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_- - - - - -_

"Okay, before anything else, I want you to know: This wasn't my idea," Renji began. Urahara stared for a moment, before glancing at a scowling Ichigo.

"Not mine either," the Shinigami representative defended himself. Urahara's gaze rested on three very, _very_ beat up mod soul gigai. Ririn was dazed, Nova disheveled, and Claude looked as though he'd been thrown through a blender with lit dynamite. His eyes were glazed over, as though recovering from some unmentionable horror.

"Well then..." The former captain of the 12th Division prompted, looking over the huge hole in the ground where his shop used to be. "Whose fault is it?"

"Ahhh... Th-That would be m-mine," a timid female voice got out. Urahara's head turned towards Ichigo again. The orange-haired shinigami representative sighed and stepped to the left, revealing a rather mortified (but otherwise unharmed) Hinamori Momo. Claude fainted at the sight of her.

"Oh ho?" Urahara asked.

"Well, I-I wanted to learn Bankai so much, af-after everything that happened in Hueco Mundo," Hinamori began, "and ah... I-I, I mean-!"

"I thought it would be a good idea to motivate her by having Claude appear as Aizen," Ichigo cut in, stepping a little closer to Hinamori. Urahara blinked as the female shinigami held out her zanpakuto.

"_Tobiume_ was always fond of Captain Aizen, and even after my therapy it's hard for me to feel negatively towards him," Hinamori continued. "So ah... Er..."

"I cast the illusion... Of Captain Aizen... Doing something that would really make Hinamori angry," Ririn got out quietly. Ichigo and Renji both flushed as Hinamori's eyes blazed at the memory. Urahara blinked again. Despite losing his store, it was rather easy to fix and besides... He felt like he was going to be laughing his ass off soon.

"And that was?"

"Well, it took a lot of different tries, until, ah..." Renji flushed.

"Claude and Ririn made it look like Aizen-taichou was... Whipping Ichi-I mean, Kurosaki-kun... In bondage gear," Hinamori got out with a furious blush. Ichigo slapped a palm to his face, looking sick. Renji turned green. Ririn shrugged indignantly.

"HEY! It made_me_ angry! How was I supposed to know it'd make her achieve Bankai instantly?!"

Urahara grinned. He was right, the laugh _was_ worth rebuilding his shop...


	8. Chapter 8

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_This one's more serious than the last few. Hope you don't mind._

_- - - - - -_

"We all wear our masks."

Hitsugaya wasn't sure whether or not this was supposed to be an encouraging sign. Hinamori's eyes seemed so dead, completely foreign to him from the warm pools he was used to. The white-haired captain looked deep into her gaze, trying to find something familiar.

"We all wear our masks?" He asked. Hinamori barely spared a nod.

"Yes. You do, I do, Aizen-taichou..." Her eyes flicked to the side, averted as though in embarrassment, but Hitsugaya knew better.

She was looking to her memories. Away from the present. Back where things were comfortable, peaceful, and...

Well, he wasn't sure they'd be called _sane_, but to her, sanity was not as important as what was familiar.

"We all wear our masks... And Aizen-taichou... He has two," Hinamori began again, heartrate steady, so steady on the monitor.

"Two?" Hitsugaya repeated incredulously. The man had _stabbed her through the chest_. It seemed to make his intentions perfectly clear. His mask was shattered that day.

"He only had one, Hinamori," Hitsugaya stated. The girl shook her head.

"No... He has two... He switches between them..." She smiled a little at this, and Hitsugaya resisted the urge to slap her, get her out of her little fantasy world, _be his_, and not Aizen's.

"There's only a peek between them," she sighed, "but it's enough to know..."

"And that is?" The captain asked, eyes narrowed, the ice dragon at his command growling in the back of his mind.

"That he can't decide... Between them... And his face?" The small girl's smile grew just a bit wider, a flicker of light appearing in her eyes again.

But it wasn't what Hitsugaya wanted. It wasn't... _His_ Hinamori.

"His face... he doesn't know... _can't_ know," she giggled, Hitsugaya standing up, rage building inside him.

"Can't know _what?_" He demanded. Hinamori just kept laughing, even as he grabbed the collar of her top and shook her angrily, rage and love and concern and _frustration_ melding into one.

"CAN'T KNOW WHAT?!" He roared, that maddening giggling filling his ears, even as a few orderlies pulled him back from Hinamori. He didn't hear Unohana's pleas to calm down, didn't hear the murmured kido of the orderlies to restrain Hinamori as her laughter grew.

All he could hear was that laughter... And her last words before he left.

"DOESN'T KNOW IF IT'S REALLY HIS FACE!" She cackled, as the doors shut tightly.

The reprimands, the requests to not come back until she calmed down... All that Hitsugaya endured with a stony face. He walked out of the Division Four headquarters, head down. The air chilled around him in his anger, making everyone on the path back to his barracks steer clear.

As he left, Hinamori watch him go through the barred windows of her room. She smiled just a little. He kept coming, every day, and every day she laughed herself sick after he visited.

She was broken, tossed aside like a doll into the trash. She'd been so sad about it... Until she realized that it didn't matter. She was garbage to her beloved captain, but even trash had a purpose.

Even she could do something for him. And it didn't matter that he wouldn't acknowledge her for it. It was something she did for him.

And she was happy, because every time he visited, Shiro-chan pulled a little more of his mask off. And when it was gone...?

He and Aizen would be the same.

- - - - - - -__

Writing from a crazy person's perspective is _weird__, even for me. Sorry it sucks so much. _


	9. Chapter 9

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_- - - - - -_

"We all wear our masks," Shinji began. "Everyone of us wears at least one... But then again, it's not our only one."

Ichigo looked up from washing the dishes for the Vizard, _again_, and raised his eyebrow at the blonde.

"Huh?"

"Like Hiyori there," Shinji said with his perfect smile, pointing at the girl in the red jogging suit. "She may act like she hates you, but she's only this hard on ya because she wants you to get control. To succeed."

Ichigo scowled. "Huh? Why?"

Shinji smirked and shrugged. "I think you remind her of herself, a long time ago. Took her exactly as long as you to tame her inner Hollow. She's stubborn, hotheaded... Not the brightest bulb, true, but still, damn good fighter." Shinji raised an eyebrow back.

"She sees herself in you. So she's thinking-"

"'If I can get this loser to succeed, I'll be succeeding?'"

Both men turned, eyes wide, at Hiyori's angry voice. She scowled and pulled off a sandal.

"Now wait just a-!" Ichigo began, before Hiyori leaped at him, sandal swinging. _WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!_

"YEOW! HIYORI!"

Ichigo opened his eyes, and turned his head to see the blonde girl beating Shinji over the top of his head repeatedly.

"You and your stupid psychobabble! You're always wasting time!" Hiyori stood back up and shot a glare at Ichigo. "Well dickhead, let's go! Practice time again!"

"About time!" Ichigo grumbled, undoing his apron and tossing it aside. He made his way for a secluded rocky area, past Hiyori. The blonde, sure he wasn't looking, let herself smile softly for a split second.

"Checking out his ass?" Shinji mumbled from the ground with a sigh. "You never check out _my_ ass."

_WHACK!_

"PERVERT!"


	10. Chapter 10

_Taking a break from "Key Through the Heart" and sharing some of the work I've been doing on The Fanfiction Forums. These are from an omake challenge issued from Epsilon, to write a short piece beginning with an assigned sentence. I wrote several of them, all unrelated to eachother. Just to give you guys something fun to read while "Key Through the Heart" is paused._

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_- - - - - -_

Zaraki kicked down the door to the first division compound that he could find, carrying a sickly looking Yachiru inside. "DOCTOR!" he roared.

Soifon yelped, nearly falling out of her chair. Thankfully, the Eleventh Division captain seemed too distracted to notice. Otherwise she'd have had to kill him right there.

Anger flared inside her. _Screw_ killing him for that, kill him just for coming in and...?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She demanded. Zaraki snarled and held out the sickly Yachiru.

"She's sick! I don't know what! Fix her!"

"I'm not a doctor damnit! Go to the Fourth Division!"

"I _can't_! I don't remember were it is! Now help her, or get someone who can you cat-loving lesbian!"

"WHAT?!" Soifon roared, Suzumebachi in her hand and out in the blink of an eye. She pointed it at Zaraki's throat. Zaraki ignored her and scowled.

"Damnit! I don't have time for this!" Zaraki turned to stalk out. Soifon ground her teeth.

"Wait!" She sighed. The child did really look sick anyway... "I'll take her to Fourth Division."

"Eh?" Zaraki asked with a frown. Soifon hissed.

"Give. Me. The. Girl. Now," she got out through clenched teeth. Zaraki snarled back... Before almost gently handing Soifon the little girl.

"Get her help _now_," he demanded in a low and dangerous tone. Soifon huffed and flash stepped away, soon jumping between rooftops headed for the Fourth Division. She eyed the pale pink-haired girl disdainfully.

"What did you get into anyway?" The commander of the special forces asked Yachiru. She wheezed pitifully, and Soifon felt a stab of remorse.

"Not sure... Something I ate?" Yachiru offered quietly. Soifon sighed.

"If your _captain_ knew how to find his way around here, I wouldn't be doing this you know," she stated. Yachiru wheezed again, but this time with a small smile.

"He needs me to... Navigate... Doesn't know where to go," she replied quietly. Soifon scowled, but said nothing more all the way to the Division Four hospital.

Landing in front of a receptionist, she easily got a nurse to look Yachiru over. Carrying her to an examination room, Soifon deposited the pink-haired bundle on a bed and turned to go.

"Wait...?"

Soifon froze and turned back. Yachiru looked past the nurse checking her blood pressure, a pleading look on her face.

"Stay?" She asked.

Soifon stifled a groan. _Brat..._

She yanked a chair up and sat down in a ramrod-straight posture. As the nurse continued to go through the checks, the captain couldn't help but notice the small smile Yachiru gave her.

_For staying? ... Brat,_ she thought irritably. It was hard to say no to that smile though, even for her.

- - - - -

"Food poisoning? You're telling me it was _food poisoning?_" Soifon ranted. The nurse cowered before the angry captain, as Yachiru smiled brightly. She'd had her stomach pump mere minutes ago, but was already up and about. Soifon would have been impressed-She was queasy just from _listening_ to it-had she not been so pissed.

"W-Well, captain, it can be serious on occasion and-" The nurse got out, before Soifon huffed again and turned, walking to the window before leaping out.

"Hey, wait! Wait, Soi-chan!" Yachiru called, bounding after her. Soifon sighed and turned around.

"What?" She asked dully. Yachiru smiled and handed her an object. Soifon's frown grew as she saw it. _A lollipop?_

"Doctor-lady always give me one for checkups, but I can't eat it, so here!" Yachiru said happily. Soifon looked down at the candy in her hand, still frowning.

"Why?"

"Huh? Soi-chan forget? You brought me here, so Soi-chan gets candy! Thanks!" Yachiru said happily, bounding off.

Soifon watched her for a few moments, before shaking her head. She turned and quickly made it back to her own headquarters, eying the unconscious Omeada at her door. Soifon made a face.

_Pitiful fool... He fainted at Zaraki?_

Really, she just couldn't get any good help.

Soifon sat back down behind her desk, looking over her paperwork. She gripped the lollipop in her hand a bit more tightly. She raised her hand and looked it over.

"... What the hell," she mumbled, and opened the wrapping. She popped it in her mouth and smiled around the paper stick. _Mmm... Grape..._

"Yo!" Soifon almost spat out the lollipop at the interruption, glaring at Zaraki.

_Damnit, how can this man sneak up on me like that?! His reiatsu alone should trigger the alarm the moment he comes in!_

"How do you keep getting in here?!" She demanded. Zaraki shrugged and grinned.

"Eh... Practicing controlling my reiatsu. Lets me hear my zanpakuto better, you know?" Zaraki shrugged, and Soifon was surprised to note that, yes, Zaraki was repressing his reiatsu. Not a lot, but enough that she hadn't recognized it.

"What do you want?" She snarled, turning back to her desk.

"Anyway... Thanks."

Soifon this time really _did_ spit out the lollipop, barely catching it.

"What?"

"Thanks. What, you deaf?" Zaraki growled. "Yachiru insisted. So... Thanks. Again."

"... Fine," Soifon mumbled. "Just don't let it happen again."

Zaraki shrugged. "Eh... Fine." He turned and headed off. Soifon again shook her head, and glared at the cat plushy sitting in a place of honor at the corner of her desk.

"This is your fault, you know," she growled. "If you hadn't gone away, I wouldn't have to deal with this random crap. Hmph..."

Soifon sighed and looked down at the lollipop. With a shrug she popped it back in her mouth, and resumed her work. Even she didn't waste good candy, and she certainly deserved it after this day...

- - - - - - -  
_  
Yes, it profoundly sucks. I apologize._


	11. Chapter 11

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit  
_

_- - - - - -_

Ichigo knew this was it. What he'd fought so long and hard for. He'd cut through Arrancar after Arrancar, blasted his way all the way to Los Noches' throne room, and now confronted the master of evil himself.

Aizen smiled that damnable smile of his, and rose from his throne. Ichigo flared his spiritual energy, ready to do battle and defeat the menace to everyone once and for all. He waited for the bastard to begin some kind of villainous speech.

Aizen opened his mouth... And then blinked. He began looking around in... Confusion?

"... Hwa?" Aizen mumbled, as though he could not quite believe what he was seeing. Ichigo blinked, and tensed for some kind of trick.

"Holy shit, what the hell have I been doing?"

Ichigo blinked. Okay... That was... Weird.

Aizen actually looked like he was trying desperately not to panic.

"Oh... Oh _fuck_. This is a nightmare! What the hell am I wearing?! ... And where are my glasses?!"

"... W-What?!" Ichigo said in utter disbelief. Aizen slowly looked at Ichigo, staring in shock... Before horrified realization struck.

"Oh... Oh goddamnit... No... This is..." He looked at Ichigo a little more, and blinked in confusion. "Kurosaki? Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Uh... Yeah?" Ichigo said.

"... Oh. Oh fuck. Fuck... You know, you look a lot like your father... Er... Sorry we met on such bad terms..." Aizen was completely apologetic. Ichigo's jaw dropped further. Aizen was... This had to be a trick.

This could not be real.

"My father?"

"Mm? Oh, yeah, he was captain of the Tenth in my day... But er, that's beside the point... It seems I've, um... Made a bit of an error, really."

"... A bit... Of an error? Really?" Ichigo repeated in absolute disbelief. Aizen was... Was he _fretting_?!

"Okay... It's a major fuck up and total catastrophe that has plunged three worlds to the brink of all-out war!" Aizen confessed. "There, is that better?!"

"... A little?" Ichigo tried. He had to have been hit a _lot_ harder than he thought...

Aizen groaned, sitting in his throne and putting his face in his hands.

"Oh this is just great. One moment's pride and youthful recklessness and I turn the universe upside-down."

"... Wait, what, really?" Ichigo asked, hanging his head. This could not be happening.

"Well, er... I had just achieved shikai, and I decided to imagine myself as a supremely magnificent bastard villain who pulled the wool over everyone's eyes and monologued a lot... Like classic comic book villains, you know the type?"

"And then you used your shikai... And then..." Ichigo groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You began to believe you were a magnificent bastard..."

"I knew those acting classes were nothing but trouble," Aizen moaned.

"This can't be real..." Ichigo mumbled. "It's too stupid... There's no way..."

"Oh, _you're_ saying that," Aizen complained, sounding quite whiny. "_I'm_ the one who turned myself into a magnificent bastard!"

"And it wore off. Just now," Ichigo stated flatly. Aizen nodded. Ichigo felt the urge to begin hitting his head against the wall.

The would-be god sighed.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about nearly cutting you in half... Trying to kill Kuchiki Rukia... Kidnapping Inoue..."

"Don't forget trying to destroy Karakura Town," Ichigo pointed out irritably. Dear God this could not be happening!

"That too," Aizen said morosely. Still, Ichigo supposed that if he'd found out he had turned himself into an evil overlord entirely by accident, he'd be pretty morose too.

"... So..." Aizen began awkwardly. Ichigo blinked at him. The former captain shrugged.

"... Care for some tea?"

Ichigo looked around, saw the stunned faces of Tousen and Gin... And shrugged.

"Um... Okay?"

"Good, good," Aizen said. He turned to Gin and Tousen with a shrug.

"Well... Since that all seems to be a bust... Gin! Tousen! You're fired."

"We're WHAT?!" Tousen demanded. Gin thought it over, and then shrugged even as Loly and Menoly came out and served the now-seated Ichigo some tea.

"... Oh."

"But, I am not an ungracious boss," Aizen said. "Gin! You're getting that franchise of Mexican restaurants you always wanted."

"YES!" Gin cheered, turning and running off. "Tequila and Matsumoto's bosom, here I come!"

"And what about me?" Tousen whined. Aizen shrugged, and sipped at his own cup of tea.

"Well... You can, I don't know... Go back to what you were doing before."

"A captain of the Gotei 13?" Tousen asked in disbelief. Aizen shrugged, and opened up a portal to Soul Society, into which Tousen dropped.

"GAHHH! ... Uh... Oh shit... Komamura... Buddy... Hi... Can't we talk this out? Remember the path to justice and peace and-OH MY GOD! ARGGGGHHHHH! NO, THAT'S MY SPINE! MY SPINE, YEEEARRRGGGHHHH!"

Aizen closed the portal boredly, and looked over at Ichigo.

"In all honesty, I never liked him," Aizen confided. Ichigo nodded slowly, and took another drink of tea. It was good stuff... Jasmine, he thought, with just the right amount of sugar.

"I can see why..."

"Well Ichigo, since I'm going to have to make a _lot_ of reparations, it seems logical to begin with you," Aizen stated. "What can I do for you?"

Ichigo thought about it, even as Loly refilled his tea cup. He sipped of it, and then smiled.

"Well..."

Later, deep within Hueco Mundo, Ichigo sat on an obscene couch with Rukia, Orihime, Nel, Halibel, Tatsuki and Matsumoto hanging all over him like a harem should. The orange-haired shinigami smirked.

"I've _always_ wanted to give bein' evil a try..."

Aizen smiled back and bowed.

"As you wish, Kurosaki-sama. I'm off to make more reparations. Have fun!" With that, Aizen vanished. Ichigo grinned.

"Oh, you know I will..."

"What is thy bidding, my master?" Rukia asked, bowing while wearing a wear cute and revealing Playboy bunny costume. Turning her to the darkside and making reparations to her had been a two-fold deal-All the Chappi the Bunny merchandise she could ever want or need. Ichigo reached out and caressed Orihime's cheek, the orange-haired girl giggling.

"Bring me... Yoruichi."

- - - - -

_Just a random explaination for why Aizen went evil._


	12. Chapter 12

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit  
_

_- - - - - -_

"Now now... Momo-kun... There's no need for this," Aizen said with a strained smile. He felt strained in general-Strained by the fact his arms and legs were tied to the posts of the bed he currently found himself on.

And strained by the leather bustier his disturbed looking former-vice captain was wearing. He winced at the smack of a riding crop against her palm.

"Now that you're back... Captain Aizen... I'm going to make sure you never... _Ever_... Go anywhere _ever again_," Hinamori said, a bit of drool escaping her grinning mouth. Aizen coughed, and then snapped his fingers.

_Please work please work please work!_

Hinamori blinked. She looked around. She saw Aizen, and just kept grinning.

"Nice try, Captain Aizen... But Kyoko Suigetsu wasn't required for me to fall in love with you!"

"Er, actually, it was," Aizen said. "I'm a total dork. Really. Truly. You'd be much better off with Hitsugaya."

"Shiro-chan?" Hinamori asked, mystified. Aizen nodded.

"Yes! Or... Even Kurosaki! He's currently working on becoming an evil overlord with a huge harem of women!"

"But I love you, Captain Aizen!" Hinamori said, almost whining. "You're my God!"

"Oh for the love of... Look, Momo-kun. As your captain, I am ordering you to not love me, and to instead indulge Hitsugaya's quite obvious crush on you," Aizen stated. Hinamori groaned, and gripped her head.

"Ohhh... I want to obey your orders... But you're not a captain anymore...! And I love you... On the other hand, Shiro-chan is very cute... But... ARGGHHH!"

Aizen, truly a master of many things, managed to get himself free before grabbing Kyoko Suigetsu and quickly bringing it to bear.

"Shatter, Kyoko Suigetsu!"

A quick bit of helpful hypnosis to help Hinamori realize the truth about him, and Aizen smiled as he waited for the results of his handiwork.

Hinamori blinked... Blinked again... And then grabbed Tobiume out of nowhere with a snarl.

"SNAP, TOBIUME! DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKER! _**DIEEEEE!**_"

_Ahhh, all is right with the world,_ Aizen thought as he was blasted through the window with a level 99 kido performed without incantation. He was so proud of Momo-kun! The things she could do when she was mad with rage!

_Elsewhere..._

"Hello. Welcome to Gin-Taco. Can I take your order?" The smiling man asked from behind the counter. His first customers weighed the delicious smells coming from the kitchen, the clean eating area, and the polite, if somewhat odd staff, with the manager who smiled like a pedophile... And decided this wasn't a bad place for dinner.

Beat Taco Bell any day of the week...

- - - - -


	13. Chapter 13

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit  
_

_- - - - -  
_

Isshin Kurosaki was a fan of fast food, but only every so often. As a doctor, he knew full well the dangers of eating out too much. A little indulgence now and then never hurt anyone when it came to such food.

But there was also the novelty of eating out at a restaurant, to see how people approached the dining experience. And when a new Mexican food franchise named "Gin-Taco" of all things opens up in town, with a smiling Gin wearing a sombrero for it's mascot, you know he'd be there.

"I dunno Dad," Karin said as they approached the restaurant, Isshin Kurosaki brimming with excitement. "The look on the guy's face is creepy..."

"Oh, you should not judge a book by it's cover, my adorably morbid daughter!" Isshin laughed. "Even a restaurant such as McDonalds, with a demonic clown haunting it's fryers and registers, produces quality food!"

"No it doesn't," Karin stated flatly. "McDonalds is crap."

"But-But-The free toys, Karin! The free _toys!_" Isshin whined as they approached the front door. "And the playplace! Oh, the plastic mysteries you and Yuzu have explored!"

"And the embarrassment we've endured when you got stuck in the playplace tunnels," Karin sighed. Isshin looked beseechingly at Yuzu, who smiled at him.

"Ah, yes! Remember how the fire department had to get him out the last time?"

"I'm trying not to," Karin muttered, pushing open the door to the restaurant. She froze at the waiter who met them at the front counter, staring at them impassively.

"Hello, welcome to Gin-Taco. I am Ulquiorra Schiffer. I will be your waiter this evening," the man stated in a quiet monotone. Yuzu and Isshin stopped and stared as well.

The (former) 4th Espada was wearing his usual white uniform, but in place of the horned half-helmet, the remnants of his hollow mask, he wore a brightly colored sombrero. The Kurosaki family stared at Ulquiorra, slack-jawed, as the Espada calmly stared back. The silence stretched on.

"... S-So... Cute..." Yuzu managed, walking up to Ulquiorra and hugging him around the waist. The Arrancar glanced down. Karin gawked at her sister.

"WH-WHAT?! YUZU!"

"But he's so cute! So sad looking, and yet... With the hat... So cute!" Yuzu defended herself. Isshin struggled to hold in his laughter. Karin growled.

Ulquiorra sighed. This was the fiftieth time it had happened today. Gin-sama refused to let him take a break, however-He was definitely drawing in repeat customers...

- - - - -

Captain Hitsugaya was usually a pretty calm, collected individual. You don't become a captain of the Gotei 13 by being a raging, temperamental lunatic.

... Okay, maybe you _can_, but Captain Hitsugaya hadn't. No, he'd worked hard, used his natural talent well, and used his head. He was brave, intelligent and had an iron will.

But, he did have a bit of a temper where a few things were concerned. One was Matsumoto, his lovable if lazy vice-captain. Her slacking, sleeping and overly affectionate nature always annoyed him. He had enough trouble trying to not get treated like a child without her glomping him.

Another was Hinamori Momo. Not that he was angry at her... Well, a little. Most of his rage where Momo was concerned was directed towards Aizen, for turning Momo into his puppet, fangirl and slave. People who threatened Hinamori were usually people who did _not_ have long to live when Hitsugaya heard about it.

Considering Aizen had stabbed Hinamori, right in front of him, and had abandoned her even while she was still desperately, hopelessly, pathetically in love with him, it was perfectly reasonable for Hitsugaya to swear that he would kill that bastard the moment he saw him again.

Which is why it was completely understandable for Hitsugaya to immediately grab his sword and charge Aizen the moment said bastard entered his office with a jovial smile.

"AIZEN! YOU BASTARD I'LL KILL YOU RAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!!!"

Too incoherent with rage and confusion to think straight, Hitsugaya's instincts had directed his body to react in a rather traditional way-Hack away at whatever he wanted dead until it died. Which resulted in the rather humorous sight of Aizen holding Hitsugaya at arm's length, hand on his head, as the prodigy swung his sword so fast it blurred, only inches away from slashing Aizen's torso.

"Ah, hello, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen said pleasantly. "I have a surprise for you!"

"SURPRISE THIS! SIT IN THE FROZEN HEAV-HUH?!" Hitsugaya blinked. Hinamori now held his sword, smiling cheerfully at him in a... Well, it was white, revealing, and leather, and made Hitsugaya's jaw drop.

"Hello, Shiro-chan," she said happily. "We're just stopping by, nothing to worry about!"

"NOTHING TO-?! DESTRUCTIVE ART 78-!"

"Binding art 84," Aizen quickly cast, "Web of Fate."

Hitsugaya was quickly bound by a web of reiatsu, anchoring him and spreading out to use the massive amount of spirit particles within reach to fuel it's hold on the young but powerful captain. Hitsugaya seethed and struggled.

"WHEN I GET OUT OF THIS I'LL RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB! I'LL CRUSH YOU WITH A GLACIER! I'LL-MMPH?!"

Hitsugaya's eyes almost popped out of his head, or at least that's what it looked like to the outsider observer, as Hinamori wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. Aizen smiled.

"Now, Hitsugaya-kun, I know I've made a great many... Mistakes in the past. Errors. I understand if you would not be inclined to forgive me, everything I've done. So! I have done what I can in order to help the healing process."

Hinamori broke the kiss with Hitsugaya and nuzzled his face affectionately. His face red, and hormones rushing, Hitsugaya was still a captain, after all. He snarled at Aizen.

"What did you do to her?!"

"I showed her the truth," Aizen stated simply.

"He's an idiot, Shiro-chan," Hinamori said. She smiled cheerfully. "I blasted him with a level 99 Kido without the incantation when he did!"

"Yes. She did... Ow..." Aizen mumbled. "In any event, now Hinamori-kun is free to act on her feelings for you that I overshadowed."

"WHAT?! NO! THIS IS A TRICK! THIS IS ONE OF YOUR SCHEMES!" Hitsugaya roared. "I'M GOING TO-GYAH! M-MOMO! NO! KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF MY-ERK!"

"Now now, Shiro-chan, calm down. We're going to have some fun~," Hinamori purred. Hitsugaya gulped.

"B-But we're like siblings! Really! I'm not attracted to you! At all! And it's AIZEN for God's sake, I have to kill him and-WOAH!"

"Now really, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen smirked. "You think you can lie to me or your best friend? I am fully aware of your feelings for Hinamori-kun. It is little wonder you are not rendered mindless whenever Matsumoto-san pushes her chest into your face-You're an ass man."

"WHAT?! HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!" Hitsugaya screamed, utterly mortified. His greatest enemy, the person he wanted to kill, kill and kill some more-KNEW about that?!

"I'm a magnificent bastard, Hitsugaya-kun... Or rather was. Of course I would have such information on you."

"Damn straight," Hinamori purred.

"Well, you two have fun! I have more good deeds to perform!" Aizen said cheerfully, waving as Hinamori began to undress the struggling Hitsugaya.

"Don't worry, Aizen-taichou! We will!" Hinamori laughed.

"N-No! Hinamori, stop it! We have to stop him befoooooreee! Oh God, that's, yaaaahhh..."

"Mmmm..."

What was he yelling about? Who was he going to kill? Why was he in a web and why was Hinamori in... In...

Hitsugaya OS decided that it was much happier crashing the higher functions of his brain in order to fully appreciate just what was going on right now.

Later, when the web was removed, his higher functions returned, but those were for an entirely different application of them. Something Hinamori really, _really_ appreciated.

- - - - - -

Aizen made a check on an increasingly growing list, and smiled as he walked away from the Division 10 barracks.

"All right, I'm ahead of schedule! Now then, who is next...?"

* * *

_Why yes, I am evil. Did you even need to ask? _


	14. Chapter 14

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_A/N: This idea came about when I asked two questions: Just what form will Tatsuki's powers take? And what form would they have taken had they manifested when Orihime's did?_

_- - - - - - - -  
_

"Tatsuki-chan!"

The pain screamed in her limbs, almost as loudly as Orihime was yelling into her ear. Arisawa Tatsuko groaned, trying to resist the odd impulses throughout her body, the urge to attack her best friend growing.

"Ori... Hime..." She ground out against the whatever-it-was controlling her. Orihime still held her, still shook her even as her own hands reached up for her slender neck.

"Tatsuki! Tatsuki!"

"_Still fighting, eh?_" A strange, twisted variation on a female voice taunted. _"I'll have to eat you first, then..._"

"Tatsuki! Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime cried. Tatsuki groaned, eyes drifting upwards. Something above was on the roof, coming into focus...

It was hideous, a giant skull with medusa-like tentacles growing out of it. Not completely there, something inside of her told her. Not quite fully exposed to her...

But something grew inside in reaction. The pain lessened, just a little, and she snarled up at the thing.

"Hey you big bastard! You chose the wrong person to pick a fight with! The rule is: anyone who makes Orihime cry always gets their ass whipped by me!"

The creature laughed. _"Oh ho... You _will_ be tasty..._" The Hollow shot out tentacles for Tatsuki, time seeming to slow down as the appendages swept down for her. Tatsuki gasped as her body heated up, as though a fire was burning inside of her, expanding outwards from her heart to her muscles to her skin...

A flash of flames erupted over her vision, around her body... And Tatsuki became aware of a frightened Orihime hugging her very tightly as the creature stared back at her. Tatsuki blinked, and looked down.

_What the...?_

"_Ehhh?! How-How did you do that?! What is this?!_" The Hollow demanded in shock. Orihime let go of her friend and looked her up and down, wide-eyed.

"T-Tatsuki-chan..."

Tatsuki blinked again, becoming immediately aware of several things: She was hearing Orihime's heartbeat... Actually, make that _lots_ of heartbeats. Everyone down below in the alley between the school buildings' heartbeats, in fact. The breeze brushed over her ears, a _lot_ more than they usually did. And something was... Waving behind her?

She looked over her shoulder, and blinked again as her jaw dropped. There, perched just above her buttocks, a long, bushy fox tail the same shade as her hair waved. She reached up and felt her ears-They were long, furry, and pointed.

"Tatsuki-chan... You are so... _cute!_" Gushed Orihime, hugging her best friend. Tatsuki blinked a final time, and stared back at the stunned Hollow.

"... You have _got_ to be kidding me..."

- - - - -

"Well, 'fraid I'll have to take care of you, little girl. Shoot to kill, _Shinsō!_" Gin commanded, his customary smile firmly in place as his sword blade shot out for the ryokga unfortunate enough to wander into his path. Rather than trying to dodge, the foxgirl just smirked and held up her hands.

A ball of flames appeared in her hands that _Shinsō_ plunged into, and right back out of, straight for Gin. The captain's eyes widened as he stopped the blade, but it was too late. Tatsuki held her hands apart and the portal closed, _Shinsō's_ forward half clattering to the ground.

The girl grinned back at him, closing her eyes mockingly. "Oh no! I done just broke your sword!" Tatsuki said in a close approximation of Gin's accent. She vanished in a burst of flames and reappeared above him, foot coming down in a hammer blow for his head.

"Now for your _face!_"

- - - - - - -

Tatsuki growled. The massive bursts of reiatsu coming from the execution grounds overhead just reinforced the fact that she needed to get up there. Ichigo was being even more reckless than usual, taking on a captain like that, all by himself.

Sure, maybe she wasn't captain level, but she wasn't going to just let him fight it out alone. She summoned up as much of her reiatsu as possible and concentrated on the air above the stairs in the distance.

"Tatsuki-chan, wait! You remember what happened the last time you-!" Orihime tried to warn her.

"No time, Orihime! Look, I'll meet you all there! I can travel a _lot_ farther without anyone along!"

"And what do you presume to do once you get there?" Ishida asked flatly. "You would most likely only be a distraction to Kurosaki."

"I have to do _something!_" She snarled. "Meet me there!"

With a massive burst of flames Tatsuki vanished... As did a number of _other_ things.

"Ehhhh? Why's it so cold all of a-EEEK!" Orihime gasped, quickly covering herself. Yachiru laughed on top of Chad's shoulder as all four males in their group suffered massive nosebleeds and averted their eyes.

"Hahahahahaa! Big Booby-chan is now Nude Big Booby-chan!"

- - - - - - -

Tatsuki flashed back into this plane of existence high above the execution grounds. She fell down, and quickly fireported again, emerging sideways. She kept doing this to control her momentum and allow her to land on the ground without any ill effects.

She shivered as the massive energies of Ichigo and Byakuya's battle washed over her, already she was struggling to stay on her feet.

_Geez... It's even worse up close!_ She thought.

_Thwip!_

A somewhat familiar looking set of Shinigami clothing fell on her head. Tatsuki blinked and looked it over in her hands.

_Wait... Don't tell me I..._

"Oh god damnit... I'm so sorry Orihime!"

Why the hell did this always happen when she fireported near women?!

- - - - - - - - -

_Yes, Tatsuki the teleporting kitsune fox-girl. What can I say? It's kind of hot. _

_R&R, and if you are interested in using any of my snippets as prompts for a story, just ask._


	15. Chapter 15

- - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - -_

Kikanuma Makoto was dead tired. The fifteen year old pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes with a yawn, slowly trudging through the door of his home.

"Mom, I'm home," he called. His mother, Akina, poked her head out of the kitchen with a gentle smile.

"Hello Makoto, how was your day?"

The young teenager snorted. "To be honest mom, it blew."

"Makoto," she admonished. "Your first day in a new school and it blew?"

"Yeah," he said with a sigh. "I hated it. Had to try and find all my new classes, kept getting bumped into by all sorts of bigger guys... And this weird girl kept _staring_ at me all day!"

"Oh? Weird girl?" Akina smiled mischievously. "Maybe she likes you?"

"I got that, but it was so creepy!" Makoto said with a grimace. "She just followed me around, watching me with this blush. Like some sort of fangirl! Ugh!" Makoto had a healthy love and appreciation for the fairer sex, but stalkers and fangirls and what they'd done to some of his idols in real life just creeped him out.

"Did you try to talk to her?" Akina asked kindly. Makoto sighed.

"Once or twice, but she just up and vanished each time!" He grimaced. "I'm going upstairs, okay Mom?"

"All right, I'll call you down for dinner when it's ready!" She called back as he ascended the stairs. Makoto nodded, yawning quietly.

"Thanks Mom!"

He walked down the well lit hallway to his room, slowly opening the door and then closing it behind him with a sigh. He fumbled for the light, bumping into a few still-packed boxes from the move to Karakura Town, and with a triumphant "Aha!", found the lightswitch. He turned to sit on his bed-

And promptly screamed in shock as something his size and female-shaped tackled him to the floor.

"WHAT THE-?!"

_THUD!_

"Oh, it's you! It's you! I knew it was you!"

Makoto blinked, and inclined his head to look down at the sobbing girl currently on top of him. He blushed hard, especially at the heartbreaking smile she gave him.

"Who... Wha... HEY! Wha-What the heck are you doing in my room?!" Makoto demanded, trying to inch away from her. Despite being a teenager with a hefty amount of hormones, the sheer freakiness of the situation kept his libido from overriding his self-preservation.

The purple-haired girl smiled broadly at him, her warm brown hairs filled with tears. "I knew it was you!"

"You knew _what?!_ Look, what the hell are you doing here in my room? Why are you following me around?" Makoto asked, quickly pushing away from the girl and sliding back up against the door. She smiled, and laughed a little.

"Oh... I should have known. You don't know me, do you?"

"... No. Can't say that I do," Makoto said with a tone he reserved for street crazies. And this girl seemed to fit the bill, given her odd, black, period-clothing and the sword on her belt. The girl chuckled again.

"Oh, it's okay Captain... You'll remember... I'm sure of it!"

"..._ Captain_?" Makoto asked. "Ah, look, I'm sure you're... A nice girl and all but I think you've got the wrong guy. I'm not a captain of anything and-HEY!"

The girl pulled him up to his feet, and rummaged around in her shirt (which quickly turned his cheeks red), before retrieving an odd glove with a flaming skull on the top of it.

"Hey, wait, what's that? What the heck are you-"

She slammed her gloved hand into his chest, and Makoto's eyes widened as he felt the strangest sensation of being _pushed out of place without moving_. The girl stepped back, letting his body fall to the floor with a dull thud.

_Wait... BODY?!_

"WH-WHAT THE-?!" Makoto began to scream, before the girl put a hand over his mouth. "MMPH?!"

"Shhh... It's okay Captain... Look! See?" She pointed at his... Chest. But that didn't make sense, his chest was down there!

He looked down and gaped. He was now wearing the same clothes as she was, and a sword was strapped to his obi as well.

"Do you remember me now, Captain?" The girl asked. Makoto gawked at her, and numbly shook her head. The girl sighed, but smiled brightly, an unhealthy glint in her eyes.

"Well... It's okay... We'll fix that soon, I promise. Just so you know... My name is Hinamori Momo, your lieutenant. And you are Captain Aizen Sousuke... And I just want you to know that I love you and I won't let that horrible Ichimaru turn you evil too!"

The girl hugged him tightly, leaving Makoto with only one sentence on his lips:

"... What. The. _FUCK?!_"

- - - - - - -

_Somehow or another, Aizen got cloned. Maybe he did it himself as part of his research into Hollowfication, maybe Mayuri was having a slow day, but suffice it to say it worked-A spiritual clone of Aizen was made. Due to various circumstances, he ended up in the Living World, put into a gigai that would age with him and allow him to remain concealed as a normal human child._

_That is, until he moves to Kakakura Town, and a disturbed Hinamori Momo somehow manages to seek him out (how I leave to the writer). She's firmly convinced he's her captain, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, and is determined to not "fail" her captain again. That he's now physically her age is just icing on the cake-She can mold him into her beloved captain._

_Just one problem: Aside from his Shinigami powers and potential, Makoto (which means "Sincerity"-Cheap joke I know) is __nothing__ like Aizen. He's a fairly average Japanese teenager who likes reading, video games, and other things like that. He's into manga and anime. He might even be a member of TFF. And, understandably, he is creeped out by Hinamori's utter devotion and obsession to turn him into her captain. So, when she mentions a Kurosaki Ichigo during her ramblings about what happened to "him", he seeks out Ichigo for some help._

_I'm thinking that after initial shock and suspicion, Ichigo decides to help out Makoto and brings him to Urahara, who quickly deduces that Makoto is a spiritual clone of Aizen. Makoto is, understandably, extremely depressed and upset, but befriending Ichigo, he decides that he's nothing like Aizen anyway and wants to do some good. After all, being a Shinigami and fighting evil is WAY better than watching anime._

_Though that becomes more difficult when he finds out that the spirit of his zanpakuto is essentially a version of the real Aizen, who cheerfully riddles and tests Makoto into proving that he is not just a copy of the real deal. _

- - - - - - - -

"What the... YOU'RE my sword spirit?!" Makoto asked in disbelief, standing on a floating platform in a deep pit, waterfalls falling up all around. With a start, he realized it was Hollow Bastion from Kingdom Hearts, just outside the castle.

The sword spirit smiled a far too nice smile, standing on the same platform, a breeze lightly ruffling his long white captain's robe. He looked exactly how Hinamori and Ichigo had described his... Alter ego.

"Am I?" He asked in a pleasant baritone. "Or are you mine?"

Makoto blinked.

"... Um... I'm pretty sure _you're_ my sword spirit... Seeing how I have the sword. And all." He held it up. "See? I-HEY!"

Abruptly the sword left his hand, reappearing in Aizen's. He inspected the blade with a practiced eye, and hummed.

"Interesting... but answer me this then.. what is the name of the person who wields this sword?" Aizen asked. Makoto snorted.

"Kikanuma Makoto! And give that back damnit!"

"Really? Are you sure?" Aizen asked. "I am assured of who and what I am... But can you say the same for yourself?"

Makoto growled even as Aizen continued.

"To a zanpakuto, names are everything. Words give us life, give us shape and form. We exist, yet so long as you do not know my name, you cannot call upon my power." Aizen's smile grew just a tad.

"Damnit, I'm Kikanuma Makoto! I'm _nothing_ like you! Do you hear me?! NOTHING!" Makoto bellowed, leaping across the platform to try and grab his sword. Aizen had the blade as his nose in less time than it took him to blink, and Makoto barely stopped short, eyes wide.

"Hmm... So you are seeking your own path.... Interesting," Aizen mused. Makoto had to step back, but he didn't relent in his glare.

"Great... First that crazy girl changes my life forever, telling me I'm a Xerox of a super-powerful megalomaniac out to rule the universe, and _now_ I find out that that same psycho is my sword's spirit!"

"You do not consider yourself to be like Him," Aizen spoke calmly. "What makes you think that I would not think the same way?"

Makoto blinked and thought about this.

"... Okay... Good point..."

The... Not Aizen maybe? Hummed and looked at him with what he could only call a... Serious smile.

"You are unsure of who you are, there is no denying it. I am part of you, after all. This mindscape... The scene represents the part of the story where the hero has lost his weapon because of doubt in who he is." Not Aizen chuckled, a sound that made Makoto want to punch the zanpakuto. "It is much with you. You claim your name, but still doubt it's validity."

"Thus," Not Aizen said, "I will make a deal with you. When you find your name...I will tell you mine..."

"Oh c'mon! That's not fair! I've got like half of Soul Society out to kill me and YOU want to play a freaking game! I'm not like Aizen! I don't have time for this riddle master bullshit!" Makoto shouted angrily. "I need your power or I am going to get my ass _killed_! And what'll happen to you then, huh?!"

"Simple.. I cease to exist, but then... I cannot have truly existed in the hands of one without his own truth," Not Aizen spoke. He smirked.

"And no, you are not him... But then, I am not him either."

"So why the hell do you look like him?" Makoto demanded. Not Aizen's smirked widened.

"What better form to get a rise out of you?"

"ASSHOLE!"

- - - - - - - - -

_More snippets to come, and anyone who wants to take up this idea for their own story is free to do so. Just ask._


	16. Chapter 16

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - - -_

_More "Reflection". Timeskip!_

_- - - - - -_

"So, feeling any aches? Pains? Soreness?" Captain Unohana asked the young man kindly. Makoto looked at the Fourth Division captain in mild irritation.

"No... I'm fine. Really. Fit as a fiddle... Right?"

"Well, all of your tests came back negative, your reiatsu is at an extremely impressive level for someone your age, and you otherwise seem to be in perfect health."

"Great. Good. Can I leave now please?" Makoto asked. Unohana raised an eyebrow, which made Makoto very self conscious.

"I'm just... I-I don't like... Hospitals," he admitted. Unohana smiled.

"That's a perfectly natural reaction. It's not very easy for people to be vulnerable in front of a stranger and let them touch them."

"That, and, you know... Soul Society. Aizen clone. People wanting to kill me," Makoto said dryly. Unohana merely shook her head, more than a little experienced with smartass patients.

"There's no need for so much apprehension. Captains Hitsugaya, Ukitake and Kyoraku spoke quite eloquently on your behalf to Captain-General Yamamoto."

"Yes... After the first almost froze me to death," Makoto said dryly. Unohana ruffled his hair, making him scowl.

"Hey!"

"Come now... You shouldn't scowl so much," Unohana said. "While it looks cute on Kurosaki, it does not suit you."

"I... I try not to smile a lot," Makoto admitted.

"Because it makes you look more like him?" Unohana asked gently. Makoto sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah..."

"My belief is that if you wish to smile, smile. If you wish to frown, then frown. But don't force yourself into deviations of character," Unohana consoled him. "More people than you think believe you are you, and not Aizen."

"Well... Thanks Doctor... Er, Captain," Makoto said, smiling just a little. Unohana smiled back, and handed him his zanpakuto.

"You should hurry, I expect that the gate to the Living World will open soon for Inoue to return home."

"Cool. Thanks again!" With that, Makoto leaped out a nearby window, vanishing into flashstep to get to the gate. Unohana watched him go with a serene look, and then sighed.

"Sousuke... So many lives destroyed, all for your goal... Will you think it worth it in the end?"

- - - - - -

"So, wait? What's the rush?" Makoto asked as he entered the gateway into the corridor between worlds, quickly catching up to Orihime and her escort. One of the shinigami stared at him, as Orihime answered.

"The Espada are attacking again! We've got to get there!"

"Right!" Makoto agreed with a grin, picking up the pace. "We'll show them that-!"

A massive spiritual pressure entered the tunnel, and all four running stopped. Makoto turned around, as a garganta opened up behind them. His eyes widened at the pale, familiar form that emerged, hands in his pockets, clownish face utterly without emotion.

"It is fortunate you two were together," Ulquiorra stated. "It makes my job easier. I have business with you two."

"Gah! Get back, you two!" One of the two shinigami serving escort shouted, drawing his sword with his partner. "We'll handle-ARGGHH!"

Makoto and Orihime both looked on in horror as the shinigami _exploded_ into gore, falling to the ground. The second gaped at this, but turned and snarled at the Espada.

"You bas-AUGH!"

He too fell, shattered into bloody pieces. Makoto gulped. He'd seen gore before, sure, but so close... So sudden...

_I couldn't see him attack...!_

He turned back to Ulqiorra, fingers drumming nervously on the hilt of Kyougetsu.

"_Souten Kishun! I reject!_" Orihime cried out, her fairies quickly forming a healing barrier around the two injured Shinigami. Makoto smiled nervously at the Arrancar.

"So... You have... Business, with us?" He asked.

"That's right... I have business with you both."

"MAKOTO! RUN! RUN AWAY!" Orihime screamed. Makoto winced as the Arrancar looked past him.

"You can regenerate injuries that extensive? Impressive," Ulquiorra said.

"Yeah, it's something huh?" Makoto asked with false bravado. Ulquiorra's cold eyes bored into him. Orihime turned to speak.

"I-!"

"You will follow me."

"Wha-?" Makoto asked, before being silence by a look.

"Don't speak. You will both say yes-You and the woman. Reply in any other way, and I won't kill you, but..."

Images of Ichigo, Rangiku, Hitsugaya, Yumichika, and Ikkaku, all fighting against other Arrancar, appeared in front of Ulqiorra. Makoto grimaced.

"I will kill your friends. Don't ask anything, don't say anything. You have no rights to anything. The only thing you have, are your hands upon the necks of your friends at the guillotine. Understand this, you two, this is not an negotiation... It's an order."

Makoto glanced back at Orihime, who could only bite her lower lip.

"Lord Aizen desires your power, woman. And you, boy... He simply desires you."

"..." Makoto managed to bite back his sarcastic response to that. Ulquiorra continued.

"I have been instructed to bring you both back, unharmed. I will only say it once more... Follow me."

"..." Makoto continued to drum his fingers on the hilt of his sword. He then smiled. Ulqiorra remained impassive.

"Inoue, get down."

"Wha-?"

Makoto shimmered, revealing a Makoto with his arm outstretched, glowing blue fire in his palm.

"-structive Art 33, _Sōkatsui_!"

The kidou spell shot out, slamming into Ulqiorra and engulfing him in the blast. Makoto was blasted back into Inoue, and they both fell to the tunnel floor.

"OOF!"

"Wha-H-How did you-?" Inoue asked. Makoto coughed and groaned.

"Uh... Cast an illusion over myself long enough for me to go through the whole incantation." He waved his hand and grimaced. "Overcharged it too-URK!"

His eyes bulged as he was lifted up, steel-hard hand around his throat. Ulquiorra stood there, appearing utterly unharmed. Orihime gasped in horror.

"Impressive. I did not suspect you could cast such realistic illusions with your sword only partially out of it's scabbard," Ulquiorra spoke calmly. "I was only able to prevent being struck by utilizing a cero at the last second." Ulquiorra glanced at Orihime.

"While Lord Aizen stated you both were to be unharmed... As you are capable of regenerating catastrophic injuries, I could kill him now and still fulfill my objectives."

"GLURK! UUNNK!" Makoto tried, struggling fruitlessly in the Arrancar's grasp.

"One more time, woman... You are coming with me." Ulquiorra stared at Orihime intently. Orihime clenched her fists tightly... And slowly nodded.

"Yes."

- - - - - -

"GAH! SHIT!"

Slamming into a hard, stone floor was not Makoto's idea of a good time. He doubt it was anyone's, really. Slowly he got up, and adjusted his glasses. His eyes widened.

Everything around him was white... Except for the black crescent-shaped scythe bearing down on him.

"YEOW!" He shouted, barely dodging the blow. The wielder of the weapon leered at him with his abnormally large mouth, single visible eye narrowed.

"You flinched, runt," the tall Arrancar leered, his spoon-shaped hood glowing slightly in the ambient light all around. Makoto gulped.

"I have brought the boy, Lord Aizen," Ulquiorra spoke , standing on the floor and looking indifferent as usual. Makoto followed his gaze, and his blood turned to ice. He'd been too confused to really feel the spiritual pressure in the area, but now that he was here, now that he was _looking_...

That charmingly uncaring smile, the cold eyes, the Super-man like hair...

"Welcome, Kikanuma Makoto," He spoke, and Makoto could hear it clearly as though the man were right in front of him. Not perched on an ivory throne so far away.

But, the man was a master of illusions, right?

"Did he resist, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked.

"Yes. He generated a limited illusion while I was delivering your order to them, in order to finish the full incantation of a level 33 kidou. I blocked it with a cero." Ulquiorra reported in his usual dull monotone. Aizen looked down at Makoto, who fidgeted under the gaze. His sword spirit looking just like him was one thing-Actually _meeting_ him...

"Impressive."

"Most impressive," Makoto found himself mumbling. Aizen's smile never faltered.

"And the girl?"

"She took the bracelet. She will report to me in 24 hours or we will destroy her friends," Ulquiorra spoke. Aizen nodded.

"Then inform our forces in the Real World that their mission is complete."

"Yes, Lord Aizen," Ulquiorra said, before vanishing into a garganta. Aizen turned his gaze back onto Makoto, who was once again nervously drumming his fingers on his sword hilt.

"So, what do we do with this shithead, Lord Aizen?" The tall Espada asked with a leer. "He doesn't seem worth the trouble." He snorted.

"Can't even defend himself when he's being insulted! What are you, you little shit? Some kind of pussy?"

Makoto continued to tap his fingers on his sword. Aizen's smile grew.

"Whatever are you thinking, Makoto?"

"..."

"'Can my zanpakuto's ability work on Aizen? If I can get past this Espada, how many more are there? Even if I could, how would I return home?'" Aizen asked. Makoto coughed.

"... You forgot, 'How do I save Orihime,'" he said in a quiet, but reasonably defiant voice. Aizen chuckled.

"I see... Ever thinking, ever planning, trying to work out how best to defeat your opponent and achieve your goals. A tad reckless, given your admirable attempt to defeat Ulquiorra... But we are much alike, Makoto."

"Genetically maybe, or however the hell that works... But nothing else!" Makoto snarled, anger pushing his courage to action.

"But you cannot deny the need to control and push the events around you," Aizen countered gently. "The power it gives you. You can make fantasy into reality, bend perception to your will. The world is your stage, and you are the director, the master of the theater, and one of the actors all at the same time."

"'All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts?' Something like that?" Makoto asked flatly.

"Precisely. We all have our parts. Even now, you are in the role you have coveted."

"And what's that?" Makoto asked.

"The plucky hero, captured, deep in the castle of his enemies," Aizen spoke, "facing the villain and learning that they are not so different after-"

"Shut up," Makoto growled out. Aizen's smile never faltered.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, you can dress up... You can dress up your words and talk like the villain all you like. Thing is, I'm not Cloud Strife, and _you're_ not girly enough to be Sephiroth! So either throw me into a cell, or tell me why the hell you brought me here! And if it's to turn me against my friends, then you've got another thing coming, Clark Kent!"

Silence. Aizen chuckled again, and Makoto had to resist the urge to jump up and stab him in the face.

"You _are_ fascinating, aren't you? Very well..." He looked to the shadows.

"Halibel."

"Sir," spoke a formal female voice behind him, and Makoto jumped. He turned around and gawked at the blond, _well built_ Espada woman with a high collar and equally high top.

"Take our guest to a room. I will speak with him again later."

"As you wish, my Lord," Halilbel spoke. She glanced at Makoto. "Follow."

"Um... Sure...?"

"Nice assets on her, huh punk?" Nnoitra leered. Halibel ignored him and walked away, Makoto following. He shot a glare back at Aizen, but the bastard merely continued to smile, leaning his face lazily against his hand.

- - - - - - -


	17. Chapter 17

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - - -_

_More "Reflection". _

_- - - - - -  
_

The room was simple, austere even. No bars on the windows, Makoto couldn't help but notice.

Halibel had left him there, and Makoto had sighed and sat down on the couch. He snorted as he looked at his sword. She'd let him keep it.

_Does he expect me to try to escape, and just wants to see if I could? Or does he think I wouldn't?_

He knew his illusions worked on Espada. Even a partial one deceived Ulquiorra long enough for him to get a full-powered _Sōkatsui_ ready. And Aizen would only trust a powerful Arrancar to gather him and Orihime. Why, he had no idea.

Bait maybe? Lure Ichigo and his friends in, and see if Soul Society reinforces them? That would be a good plan. It was something he'd done in online strategy games-Threaten an enemy asset, pull off enough of their forces to open a path to their main base. Textbook strategy.

_That, and Soul Society would probably see this as meaning we were both traitors,_ Makoto thought morbidly.

"You see how it is, then," Kyougetsu spoke, materializing before him in the form of Aizen, pre-betrayal. Makoto snorted.

"First hand, and hearing from Ichigo and Rukia? Yeah, Soul Society has some major issues..." He shook his head. "Doesn't mean it should all be burned to the ground, and innocent people killed."

"Yet when one has the knowledge to become God, the means, does not one take it?" Kyougetsu asked. "Would you not take that path yourself if you could make the world the way you wanted it to be?"

"It's not up to me!" Makoto argued. "I don't have the right to remake the world how I want it to! I can barely manage my own life, how am I supposed to manage other people's? Let alone six billion of them and who knows how many souls in Soul Society?"

"So, you lack the confidence to use your gifts for the potential betterment of mankind?" Kyougetsu asked, looking amused.

"Betterment? Sure. But I'm not leading anything. Besides... People make for really lousy gods," Makoto huffed. Kyougetsu nodded.

"An interesting argument... Preferring freedom to a responsibility that could lead to nothing but misery..."

"Look, I'm not really in the mood for this bullshit, since I'm probably going to get the same crap from Aizen whenever he summons me again," Makoto sighed. Kyougetsu sighed.

"That is precisely why I am bringing up this 'bullshit', as you call it."

Makoto looked at his sword's spirit curiously. Kyougetsu shrugged.

"You have a window into his mind... And your own is not _entirely_ wasted on digital entertainment," Kyougetsu said.

"Bite me," Makoto retorted. Kyougetsu shrugged.

"But... What can you tell me about his actions? What have you discerned?"

Makoto frowned and thought about it. He then grimaced.

"Damnit... He wants to try and turn me to the Darkside, doesn't he?"

"When captors treat their prisoners like guests, that is the usual goal," Kyougetsu noted. "He gives you the option, dare I say it, _illusion_ of freedom. In order to try and twist you into trusting him back. From there, he can use whatever means he deems necessary to groom you into his own."

"Well, I'm not a whiny little bitch Jedi," Makoto declared. "I'm not falling for it!"

"Consider, however," Kyougetsu said, "that he will most likely use the same approach with Inoue."

Silence. Makoto groaned.

"Oh son of a...!"

The door opened, and Makoto stood up as his sword's spirit vanished. A female Arrancar with a long-sleeved shirt, long green hair, and three green dots under her right eye appeared, carrying a bag. She dropped it on the floor.

"I am Sun Sun, a Fraccion of Halibel. You will change into this clothing," she said. Makoto glanced down at his Shinigami robes, and back at the Arrancar. She raised an eyebrow.

"You may retain your zanpakuto."

"Uh... No. I'm good with what I'm wearing," he stated. No way in hell was he giving up his robes and dressing like the enemy. Removing anything that could give you a concrete, physical reminder of where you came from was a good way to try and manipulate your prisoner.

"Lady Halibel was told by Lord Aizen that you would wear what he has sent," she stated, still perfectly composed. Makoto stared back, focusing on the bridge of her nose as her eyes were a bit intimidating. Still, it made it look like he was looking her in the eyes.

"Well then, please tell _Lord_ Aizen that I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request," Makoto said dryly. Sure, kind of weird quoting a woman, but it fit the context. Sun Sun raised her hand, and her fist charged with _reiatsu_. Makoto's eyes widened.

"Hey, what are you-?!" He flashstepped out of the way of the small energy blast, but Sun Sun reappeared in front of him, her hand pressing onto his chest before he could draw his sword.

"You-!"

_POOMPH!_ Another energy blast left her hand, but rather than being vaporized, Makoto's robes were blasted apart. Blushing furiously, he covered himself as the female Arrancar looked at him impassively.

"It wasn't a request. It is either wear what is in the bag... Or what you have 'on' now," she stated.

"... Okay..." He barely managed to preserve his modesty, walking carefully over to the bag and grabbing it. He sighed, and turned to look at her.

"Hey... Do you mind?"

"If you are concerned for your modesty, don't bother. I am not impressed," she said simply. Makoto winced.

"Ouch..."

- - - - - - - -

The clothing could have been worse, Makoto reflected, as he looked at himself in a mirror. One of the most annoying things about shinigami _hakama_, he'd found, was the lack of pockets. These _hakama, _however, did have them. The overcoat looked uncomfortably similar to Aizen's, which he suspected was the point. At least he didn't have to go around bare-chested: The black undershirt he was provided was appreciated... Sort of.

"... I look like a bleached pimp, minus the hat and cane," he muttered. Sun Sun was perfectly composed, staring at him in the mirror. He turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"So, how do I look?"

"Are you seeking a compliment to boost your ego?" Sun Sun asked. Makoto shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"No, just curious."

"You blend in better," Sun Sun deadpanned. Makoto smiled humorlessly.

"Cute. Very cute. I can totally see why he sent you." He sighed and walked over to the window, looking up at the moon.

"Is that thing real?"

"Does it matter?" Sun Sun asked.

"Yeah, kind of," he said flatly. "Because if it's real, then that's good. If it's not real, it's an illusion and it's a very cruel one."

"Which is more likely?" Sun Sun asked.

"... Okay, nevermind. Forget I asked," Makoto said. He looked over at the Arrancar. "So... Like your job?"

"Liking my job is irrelevant. It is what I do," Sun Sun replied.

"Yeah, but do you _like_ to do it? Is it fulfilling?" Makoto pressed. Sun Sun stared at him.

"Were I not here, I would still be a mindless Hollow, ever consumed by feelings of hunger and emptiness," Sun Sun replied.

"Yes, yes, but is this different than that existence? In a truly meaningful way? Do you have meaning? ... You know?" He tried. "And would you stop _staring_ at me like that? It really bugs me!"

Sun Sun raised both eyebrows. "You are attempting to manipulate me."

"What? No. No, if I was trying to do that, I'd just use my sword," Makoto said. She kept staring at him, and he fidgeted.

"Look, I just... I kind of... I'm not comfortable with silence, okay? I need noise. Everything is _dead_ here... No offense," he said quickly. "So, can't you just make some conversation or something?"

"To relieve your anxiety?" Sun Sun asked. Makoto shrugged.

"Yes... And my curiosity."

"What are you curious about?"

"You. Your motivations. Your history. Likes, dislikes, whatever."

"Why?" Sun Sun asked. Makoto sighed, pacing back and forth.

"Because, again, I'm anxious, and bored, and curious because I... I need to know stuff. I dunno... It's something to talk about?" He tried.

Sun Sun stared at him. Makoto scowled.

"I thought I told you to stop that."

"You are our prisoner. You cannot give orders to me."

"Sure I can, you just don't have to obey them," Makoto said back. Sun Sun actually blinked.

"... You are strange."

"This from the girl with a hole in her... Ah..." Makoto waved his hand around a bit. Sun Sun was silent.

"... Gut? Chest? Shoulder?"

"..."

"... Lower back? Leg? ... Am I getting warm?"

"... Lord Aizen will see you tomorrow. I suggest you sleep," Sun Sun said, turning and walking out the door. It shut behind her, and Makoto sighed, smacking his palm into his forehead.

"'Am I getting warm', yeah... Freaking brilliant."

- - - - - - - -

Makoto somehow managed to get to sleep on the simple but reasonably comfortable bed. The next morning, he slowly woke up, opening his eyes and blearily blinking.

A large, green blob greeted his vision, and he jumped back, startled.

"GYAHHHH!"

_THUD!_

"OW! Fuck...!" Makoto groaned on the floor, and looked up to see Sun Sun staring down at him. Her eyebrows were both raised.

"Didn't I tell you to _not_ do that?" Makoto demanded. Sun Sun was unmoved.

"Lord Aizen is expecting us," she stated.

"Okay, but first... Breakfast. You guys eat, right?" Makoto asked, slowly getting off the floor.

"We are capable of eating. It does not mean we need to."

"Okay, well, I kind of, um... _Need to_, badly," Makoto stated. He grimaced and rubbed his stomach. Sun Sun stared at him.

"You are to meet with Lord Aizen. I do not know if breakfast will be provided," she said. Makoto sighed and pulled on his glasses. He waved his hand out.

"All right then... Shall we?"

Sun Sun turned and lead him out, Makoto following with his hands in his pockets. Down the hallways they went, all of which looked the same. Boredly, he began whistling a tune, apparently loud enough that Sun Sun turned and looked at him. He stopped.

"What?"

"That song... What is it?" Sun Sun asked. Makoto gave her a deadpan look.

"You want to know what song that is? Why?"

"I am curious," she said, and Makoto almost though there was a hint of smugness in her tone. The shinigami blinked, then mentally shrugged. What the hell, so long as he was here, he may as well have some fun, right? Well, as much as he could get away with.

He was going to make it absolutely, positively clear he was _not_ Aizen, and he wasn't going to become a Mini-Me any time soon. So... He began to consider... And then he smiled brightly.

"It's a very old song... And there are some accompanying movements to it you absolutely, positively have to do."

"Why?"

"Because it's tradition. And the song sounds better that way..."

A number of minutes later, even Aizen had to quirk an eyebrow as Sun Sun and Makoto skipped into the Espada meeting room, arm in arm, singing "We're Off to See the Wizard". Makoto singing as cheerfully as he possibly could, and Sun Sun singing in a slightly less dull tone than usual.

"Hey Aizen! What's up?" Makoto asked cheerfully. Aizen smiled, and merely sipped his tea.

"Just meeting for today's breakfast... You missed the arrival of Inoue Orihime last night, but I felt it better for you to rest."

"Aw, just for me? Thanks!" Makoto said sarcastically. He gave an awkward bow to Sun Sun, and then ambled over to the table, sitting down and putting his feet up. Gin Ichimaru just kept smiling, and Tousen watched him with an unreadable expression. Then again, since he was blind, he wasn't sure the former-captain would really care about them.

"So, what's up? Again?" Makoto asked. Aizen sipped his tea as a few other Arrancar brought out some plates of food. Makoto's stomach growled, and he grimaced in embarrassment. He moved his feet and began digging into his food the moment the Arrancar left it, eating quickly.

"Why isn't Orihime joinin' us? She decline to acquiesce your request?" Makoto asked after chugging down a glass of juice another Arrancar set down. Aizen merely chuckled.

"No, Makoto. Orihime is eating alone in her quarters. You, however, I have things to discuss with you."

"Such as?" Makoto asked, careful to put down his drink when he heard the answer. He was not doing a spittake for anyone's amusement... Though maybe he should give it a try at a later date.

"Why... For your training of course," Aizen said. "With Gin."

"Won't involve a lotta singin' and dancin'," the silver-haired traitor said, with a slightly bigger smile. Makoto smiled weakly back.

"Gee... Can't wait..."

- - - - - - - -

_Well, if you're enjoying this, feel free to comment on it and ask for more chapters. Heck, maybe I'll turn it into a full-fledged story. Or, if one of you is so inclined, you could use the idea for your own story. It's entirely up to you, my dear readers._


	18. Chapter 18

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - - -_

_Even more "Reflection". _

_- - - - - -_

_BOOM!_

Makoto barely flashstepped out of the way of _Shinsou's_ sword strike, holding up a hand and focusing his reiatsu.

"Waves of-DAMNIT!" He dodged again, and again, barely able to stay one step ahead of the precise, fast and deadly sword strikes. Gin just continued to smile that damn smile of his, swinging and thrusting his elongated blade around and never, _ever_ allowing Makoto enough time to stop and cast a spell.

Well, nothing that would hurt him anyway.

_Gah! Bastard, bastard, bastard!_ Makoto thought angrily, forced into a one-handed handspring to avoid being impaled. He nearly stuck the landing too.

Nearly meaning that he crashed into a heap and had to roll like a log to escape being slashed in half by another of Gin's attacks.

He hadn't been allowed his sword for this "training exercise"-Which, as Gin had honestly told him, was "Staying Alive for Fifteen Minutes."

He had no idea how long he'd been "playing". This didn't enter into his mind at all. All he knew was that he had to keep moving, or else he was dead.

_MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE!_

"GYAH!" Makoto shouted, forced back to his feet by the impact of Gin's next slash. As he continued running around the "training area", he noticed Gin's smile grow by just a little.

_Bastard... He's enjoying this..._ He thought.

_Of course he's enjoying this,_ another part of his psyche, which sounded suspiciously like Kyougetsu, _he's a sadistic monster. It's clear he enjoys creeping everyone out and putting them on edge. Just like he's doing to you._

"My my, you've certainly got lotsa energy, huh Makoto?" Gin called out. He tore a groove in the stone just in front of Makoto's feet, forcing the boy to flashstep backwards. Gin chuckled.

"Got all sortsa instincts you barely understand... Need to stay alive, and tools to keep ya that way." The traitor's smile widened just a bit. "Ain't too different from Captain Aizen, now that I think about it."

_Ignore it, he's trying to bait you!_ Makoto thought frantically. "GUH!"

Dust kicked up into his eyes from another one of Gin's slashes forced Makoto back. Instinct called to him again, and he dodged another strike with flashstep.

"Ho ho! Avoided that one too!" Gin chuckled. "Just like the Captain..."

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!" Makoto bellowed, something he immediately knew was a _really_ stupid thing to do, as Gin slashed and finally hit Makoto. The cut was shallow, across his side but Makoto yelped in pain. He was barely able to use flashstep again to dodge the follow-up thrust.

"Hit a nerve, huh?" Gin asked. His grin widened. "Hit a _few_, I'm guessing..."

_Gah! If only I had my sword!_ Makoto thought angrily. _Fucking bastard Aizen! Fucking bastard Gin! Fucking everyone!_ He had taken refuge behind a large piece of stone knocked loose from Gin's attacks, clutching his side.

"And I am not here?"

Makoto managed to look up, seeing the form of his sword spirit standing in front of him. He panted for breath and wiped the sweat from his brow, glaring.

_No, you're not!_ Makoto thought. _Not physically!_

"A zanpakuto is part of your soul, idiot. It is far more than just a piece of metal with spiritual energy poured into it," Kyougetsu explained slowly. "Think for once-Why would Aizen not allow you to take your weapon with you?"

Makoto glared resentfully at his zanpakuto... Before his eyes widened. He groaned and bent over.

"... Okay... I am an idiot..."

"Yes you are," Kyougetsu returned.

"But... If I do it... Then I'm giving Aizen what he wants," Makoto said. _Kyougetsu_ shook his head.

"And if you do not prove your worth to him, why will he keep you around?" The zanpakuto countered. Makoto sighed.

"Damnit... Damnit... Fine!"

- - - - - - -

Gin chuckled as he approached the cover he'd "accidentally" provided Makoto. The boy was fast, if nothing else. Good reflexes, agile-But a lot of hopping around wasn't going to do much good.

_Well... Orihime'll bring him back,_ Gin decided, whipping _Shinsou_ down through the stone. He smirked at the satisfying sound of someone being cut in half, and lifted his blade up. Blood covered it.

"Well... Looks like ya lost this round, Little Aizen," Gin noted. A flicker of reiatsu behind him drew his attention, and he turned-

"_DESTRUCTIVE ART 33: BLUE FIRE CRASHDOWN!_"

-And got a face full of blue flames. He was blasted back, slamming into the "cover". His eyes opened widely as a _second_ blue fireball slammed into him, followed by a third.

Makoto stood tall, hand out, sword drawn... Before promptly bending over, slamming _Kyougetsu_ into the floor, and clutching his bloody side with his free hand.

"Unnnghhh! D-Damnit...!" He gritted his teeth and winced.

_You had to overcharge it,_ _Kyougetsu_ said with a sigh. _Simply because you mastered the technique does not mean you should employ it every chance you get._

"I had to make sure this counted as a win... Bite me," Makoto snorted back.

"Shoot to kill, _Shinsou_," said a calm voice from the smoke obscuring Gin's position, and the blade lashed out. Makoto only just got his zanpakuto up to block the strike, but it still pushed him back hard, slamming into the wall behind him and knocking the wind out of his lungs.

"Hnngh!"

Gin emerged from the smoke, looking a bit crispy. His grin was wide and malevolent.

"Not bad, Little Aizen... Not bad at all," he complimented. "If I was a normal captain, I'd be quite the mess."

"Stop... Calling me... That," Makoto growled.

"I call them like I see 'em, Little Aizen," Gin replied. _Shinsou_ returned to normal length and quick as a flash, Gin had it against Makoto's throat.

"You passed today's lesson," Gin said. "Next lesson... Survive for _twenty_ minutes." Gin withdrew his weapon, gave Makoto a jovial wave, and vanished. Makoto trembled... And then fell flat on his face, utterly drained.

"Twenty... Minutes...?" He managed to groan before he fell unconscious.


	19. Chapter 19

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - - -  
_

_Even more "Reflection", before I go on vacation. See you all next week! _

_- - - - - - -  
_

"Ow ow owwww...!"

Makoto hissed and looked at Orihime. "Why in the hell does it hurt?!"

"Sorry, sorry! I'm afraid I don't know, Kikanuma-kun," the orange-haired girl apologized as she continued healing the boy's wounds. Eventually the pain subsided, and Makoto gave Orihime an appreciative smile.

"Thanks... Sorry, guess I'm a little, er... Stressed," he said. Orihime nodded and sighed, looking out the window of her prison.

Aizen had directed Makoto to her room every day since his "training" began. And while it did make him feel better, the process of her healing him, undoing the damage, always seemed to hurt. Neither of the two humans could figure out why, and they didn't dare ask Aizen about it.

"So... You will be 'training' again tomorrow?" She asked. Makoto nodded, watching her in the moonlight. That look on her face, the strong sadness... Frankly, he was kind of impressed. When he'd first met the girl, he'd kind of assumed she was just another airheaded bimbo. Sure, she had powers, and she was willing to get stronger, but... Part of him wasn't able to take her seriously.

"Yeah," he answered. Orihime nodded.

"Don't worry... I won't let you die," she said. Makoto managed a little grin.

"Oh c'mon, it won't be _that_ bad... I'm getting, well... I'm not getting _worse_," he said. Orihime nodded, the faintest ghost of a smile on her lips before she turned back to the window.

_Yeah. Brilliant. "I'm not getting worse," fucking brilliant_, he thought darkly. Orihime not having a smile on her face was just... _wrong_.

"Look... I'm sure Ichigo isn't going to let us rot here," he said quietly. Orihime turned to Makoto, sad look in her eyes growing.

"I... Kurosaki-kun is strong, and determined, but..." She trailed off, clutching at the hem of her dress. She took a deep, calming breath.

"I agreed to come... To keep Kurosaki-kun, and everyone else safe... They can't do that if they come for us," she said softly. Makoto opened his mouth to try and find something reassuring to say, but... Nothing came. Ichigo Kurosaki was strong, _much_ stronger than him, and even he hadn't been able to defeat one of the Espada. The Sixth one, out of _Ten_.

This same guy had fought against all of Soul Society to rescue one girl from execution... But the logical part of his brain would not stop pointing out the various reasons for that.

_It's not like an Espada is going to join our side... Assuming Soul Society still considers us 'theirs',_ he thought glumly.

Somehow he knew that the only reason he hadn't been immediately turned over to Kurochtsuchi was because of Ichigo, and how many of the captains in the Gotei 13 saw him as one of the substitute shinigami's. It was weird but, deep inside he knew he was Ichigo's, in the same way Chad, Rukia, Orihime, hell even that weirdo Uryu were all his.

"... He'll come for us anyway," Orihime interrupted into his thoughts. Makoto started and stared at her. She still looked so sad, like his mother sometimes looked while looking at photos of his father, but... It was a kind of hopeful sadness? A resigned hope?

Makoto didn't know how to describe it. He didn't think he was smart enough to try. But, he did think he was smart enough to come up with the right reply.

"And he'll save us... And we'll go home," he said softly. Orihime looked at him with an unreadable expression, and Makoto was scared he'd done something wrong, something stupid again...

Before she smiled. Really smiled. His jaw dropped a little at how beautiful it really made her look. Sure, she was attractive but there was a distinct difference between that and _beautiful_.

"Thank you, Kikanuma-kun," she said softly. Makoto nodded back.

"Anytime..."

The door opened, and Ulquiorra entered. Makoto rose and gave him a small smile.

"Time for me to leave then? All right. See you tomorrow, Orihime!"

Ulquiorra's expression never changed as he stared back, moving out of the way only to allow Makoto to exit the room. The human-turned-Shinigami focused very hard on keeping up an easy-going appearance.

It was hard not to be scared of a guy who could kill you without a second thought. Aizen was downright tame compared to the Fourth Espada. At least Aizen wasn't some emotionless clown.

_Guh, clowns... I hate clowns so very, very much,_ he thought as he walked along, Ulquiorra's eyes boring into his back. However, when he was about to turn to go to his room, Ulquiorra spoke.

"We are going to see Aizen-sama, Shinigami. Proceed."

"Right," Makoto spoke quietly, turning and walking down the hallway briskly. He had hoped to be shielded from Ulquiorra's view for a few seconds, but no such luck-The Arrancar kept pace, those dull green eyes following his every step.

_Stop allowing him to bother you,_ Kyougetsu commented from the back of his mind. _It is exactly what he wishes._

_Easy for you to say! You didn't get conned into watching 'It' when you were six,_ Makoto shot back.

_Your coulrophobia not withstanding, this is not the time to show weakness,_ the zanpakuto replied.

_I think I've been doing that pretty well so far, after the pasting I got last 'training session',_ Makoto retorted.

_You are thinking of the wrong kind of weakness, as usual. You need to continue to prove yourself useful or-_

"Or what, he'll kill me?! Gee, didn't get that at all! Boy am I lucky to have _you_ shacking up in my brain!" Makoto sneered aloud.

_Would you stop talking to me aloud?! This isn't helping!_

"Newsflash genius: If I act weak, I'm useless, but if I act strong, _he ups the ante!_ What, am I suppose to _impress_ him to death?! Am I supposed to entertain him? Am I supposed to turn into him?! You have any answers, buddy?!" Makoto ranted, glaring down at his sword.

_You are supposed to remain calm, play the game, and look for an opportunity to escape, fool! Or have you forgotten they are also holding Inoue as a hostage?_ Kyougetsu asked in that infuriatingly calm tone. Makoto growled and stewed, before turning and glaring intensely at Ulquiorra.

"Would you STOP that, you insanely creepy Emo Clown?! Go write on LiveJournal, I already know my way there!"

Ulquiorra stared back impassively, before shifting his gaze... Just slightly. Makoto shook his head and turned back, stalking down the hallway.

"Finally," he muttered.  
Aizen's throne room was as intimidating as ever, which definitely did not help Makoto's nerves. Ulquiorra was deliberately staring at him, looking away only when the Shinigami looked back. It was only appropriate, he supposed-Even the saddest clown could be a horrible, demented, sadistic monster.

_Clowns, God, why did it have to be a clown? I'd take Sun-Sun over this, at least she wasn't a soulless minion of Face Paint Satan,_ Makoto thought.

_Face Paint... I'm part of your soul and even I do not understand that,_ Kyougetsu said. Makoto shuddered as he felt Ulquiorra's gaze upon him again.

_Argh..._

"Welcome, Makoto-kun," Aizen greeted, as usual in a warm, friendly voice that nevertheless held power behind it.

_Remember, no weakness... Act like yourself if you must, but show no weakness,_ Kyougetsu said.

_Like myself?_

_A fool._

_I knew you were going to say that..._

"All hail Superpope," Makoto replied flatly.

"Gin tells me your training goes well," Aizen said.

"Yeah... I mean, I've only managed to knock him on his ass once, but I figure it's a start," Makoto replied as flippantly as he could. Aizen's smile only grew, and he remained silent for a time. Makoto grew more nervous, and began tapping his fingers on his sword again.

"And... And another thing," Makoto continued, "I would appreciate it if The Saddest Clown in the World wasn't watching me. Honestly, Sun-Sun was fine. I don't need your extra special lapdog staring at me while he's craving tacos to feel welcome in your home."

"He makes you feel uncomfortable?" Aizen asked.

"This whole place does that just fine. By the way, very nice decor. Maybe at some point in the past, one of your minions said 'Aizen-sama, maybe we should make this place a little smaller? You're already a super-Shinigami, no need to put on airs.' But no, you went for the whole, aspiring to be God Evil Overlord package, didn't you? What, did you have a coupon or something? Get a discount on vaulted ceilings and white paint?"

_You are babbling. It is annoying,_ Kyougetsu stated.

_It's what's keeping me from breaking down in fear! Either help me out or shut up!_ Makoto thought back.

"Your efforts are entertaining, to say the least," Aizen spoke. He actually rose from his throne, and flashstepped, appearing right in front of Makoto. The younger Shinigami instinctively went for his sword, but a burst of Aizen's spiritual pressure stayed his hand.

_Shit shit shit...! Can't move...!_

"Even standing in front of me, you remain on your feet," the former captain said approvingly. "Your time with Kurosaki has served you well."

He cut the spiritual pressure, and Makoto somehow managed to avoid shaking like a leaf. His hands shook but he managed to shove his hands into his pockets to stop it. Or at least try to conceal it.

"Y-Yeah..." He managed.

"You truly believe he will come to rescue you and Inoue," Aizen spoke. Makoto gulped, and tried hard to look up into the eyes of the man he was supposedly cloned from. Or duplicated, or whatever the hell it was...

"Her? Sure. Me? I dunno, maybe he just likes having me around because I can be all sarcastic and logical without threatening his masculinity... Like Ishida," Makoto replied. Aizen continued to smile.

"Tell me about Hinamori... Is she well?"

"Why would you care?" Makoto snorted.

"It is she who brought you out early," Aizen said simply. "Made you aware of your nature. I had first thought she would prove of no further use, given how she no longer could function without me."

"Look, can we cut the bullshit and get to the crux of the matter?" Makoto growled, holding onto his annoyance and anger to try and override his fear.

"And what do you think that is?" Aizen asked, and suddenly he was sitting on his throne, head resting on an arm like all kings did in fiction. Makoto jumped, looked around, and glared at Aizen.

"Now that's just-just shoddy!"

"Shoddy?"

"Like... Like a jumpcut!" Makoto growled.

"Ah yes... Film is certainly one of humanity's greatest contributions to the world. Music is equally wonderful a concept. As the Living World has grown, so too has the variety and diversity of it's achievements. All the while... Soul Society and Hueco Mundo remain stangnant. Frozen." He glanced at Makoto. "Do you know why that is?"

Rather put upon the spot, Makoto thought about it, before he shrugged.

"You're all dead?"

Aizen nodded. "Exactly. While we still exist, still have the capability to grow, fundamentally Hollows and Shinigami are restricted in how far they can go."

"Which is why you're combining them... So what? I don't see how this relates to me," Makoto protested. Aizen's smile grew.

"Makoto... It has _everything_ to do with you... And with your friends." Those two scantily clad Arrancar from before brought out tea and cups. Aizen took one, and sipped it with a non-chalant air, as Makoto grit his teeth.

_Patience,_ Kyougetsu consoled.

"And once again, not an answer," Makoto said, ignoring his _zanpakuto's_ advice. He just glared at the Arrancar girl who held up some tea to him, and she quickly withdrew. Aizen continued smiling. Always smiling.

_This is what he is doing! Get control of your anger!_ Kyougetsu ordered.

"It is an answer... But admittedly, a vague one," Aizen spoke. "Purposely. After all... It would not do for the hero to learn of the villain's plans before the final act has begun, would it?"

"..." Makoto's hands clenched into fists as he tried to keep himself under control.

"So you just brought me here to drink tea, and dangle a _plot point_ in my face?!" Makoto snarled. Aizen shrugged minutely, and held out a hand to the teapot one of the Arrancar girls was holding.

Kyougetsu was getting ready to launch into a full rant, he just knew it, and the smugness, the stress, the _clown_, the _training_, everything...

... It wasn't enough to make him lose his temper. Not yet. Some shred of control still existed, enough to give him enough insight.

_He's testing me again..._

_Brilliant deduction, fool! I only pointed it out five-!_ Kyougetsu tried.

"Sure, why not?" Makoto stated, suddenly all smiles. He took a cup and drank it down, then grinned at the serving Arrancar.

"Thank you Miss... Whatever. You look like a Reimu, are you named that by any chance?"

"Loly," the Arrancar girl stated flatly. Makoto shrugged.

"I like Reimu better. And you. No, I'm not going to bother with your name, it's probably something stupid. You're Sandy. Can I get some more tea please?"

Both Arrancar women shot him dirty looks, but at the merest shift in reiatsu from Aizen, they served the young Shinigami. Makoto kept up his smile all throughout the tea.

"Makoto, Gin will continue your training, but I am having Tousen-kun contribute as well. They will alternate. I trust you will not mind?" Aizen asked.

"Sure! Why not? I always wanted to beat up Stevy Wonder, now I get the chance to imagine it! Without a mannequin!" Makoto said brightly. He gave a little salute, turned and jumped down to the floor. "Later Superpope."

Kyougetsu was laughing grimly in the back of Makoto's mind.

_What's so funny, Mirror Boy?_ Makoto asked flatly.

_Haven't you figured it out yet?_ The zanpakuto asked.

_Uh, no... That's why I asked, idiot,_ Makoto stated.

_Perhaps I'll leave you to figure it out on your own then. It will be a valuable learning experience,_ the zanpakuto said, before retreating into the depths of Makoto's mind once more. The Shinigami thought about this, even managing to ignore Ulquiorra.

_What... So I can keep my cool with a smile. What's so... Funny about..._ His eyes widened in horror.

_Oh fuck..._

- - - - - - - - - -


	20. Chapter 20

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - - -_

_Even more Reflection!_

_- - - - - - -_

"Ichigo! Ichigo, it's for you!"

Ichigo Kurosaki grumbled and sat up off his bed. He had been trying to get some focus before going off to Hueco Mundo to rescue Orihime and Makoto. Soul Society had denounced them both as traitors, and to be considered enemies. He was still plenty upset about that bullshit, but the fact they were ordering him to not even _try_ to rescue her...

"Who is-Uh?" He stopped short and stared at the woman standing in his doorway. He'd only met her once, but he'd recognize her anywhere.

"Akina-san," he said. Makoto's mother gave him a smile.

"Hello Kurosaki-san... I think we need to talk, don't you?"

"Ah, well... Yeah. But..." He looked over Akina's shoulder, and scowled at his father and sisters eavesdropping outside. "It's not..."

She smiled and nodded. "Oh, it's all right. I'm sure they won't eavesdrop on us... Correct, Kurosaki-san?" She turned and raised her eyebrows at the rest of the Kurosakis. Isshin looked indignant.

"Now now! You see, I am only acting in the best interests of my son, miss! And a beautiful older woman asking to be alone with my son at this time of night raises my concerns-!"

"Whatever do you think of me, Kurosaki-san?" Akina asked, smile turning almost... Threatening. The hallway seemed to drop in temperature.

Isshin Kurosaki gulped, then waved his hands.

"N-Nothing at all, Kikanuma-san! I was simply concerned! We will leave you two alone! Though Ichigo, if you need anything _protective_, I can run downstairs and-URK!"

Ichigo and Karin slammed kicks into Isshin's head, sending him crashing down the stairs.

"OOH! OUCH! ERK! UNGRATEFUL BRAT!"

"IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT!" Ichigo bellowed. He turned to Karin and sighed. "Karin... Yuzu..."

"We'll keep Papa from perving on you," Karin said dully. "C'mon Yuzu."

"You'll be okay, right Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked. Ichigo nodded. She smiled and nodded back.

"Then don't worry, dinner will be ready soon!" She ran off after Karin, and Ichigo turned back to Akina.

"Shall we?" Akina asked. Ichigo nodded. The older woman smiled, and turned to enter his room. Ichigo went in after her and closed the door behind them.

"You're here about your son, aren't you?" Ichigo asked. Akina turned and sat down on Ichigo's bed.

"Yes..." She sighed and looked down at her hands, folded in her lap. "Aizen took him, didn't he?"

"His forces did, yeah," Ichigo said flatly. "And how do you know about him?"

Akina looked up and smiled, almost sadly. "Because he's the one who let me have Makoto in the first place..."

"Huh?!" Ichigo gaped. Before, when he'd visited Makoto's place, Akina had seemed to have no idea about her son's nature. Now though...

"Let me explain," she said. "When I was eighteen, I married a man my father met through his business contacts. It was not an unpleasant match, I did care for my husband and thought I would grow to care for him... But then, he found out I was barren."

Ichigo's frown deepend, and Akina continued.

"When he found out, my husband summarily divorced me. I was heartbroken, inconsolable... Until a man came to me with an offer." She looked up at Ichigo.

"This man wished for me to take part in an 'experiment'. I was to carry a human child to term, and raise him as my own. I was so distraught, and he was so persuasive..." She sighed. "Being unable to have children was heartbreaking for me, because I had always wanted to be a mother. And being regarded as worthless because of my infertility by my ex-husband, my family... Well... How could I refuse?"

"How did he do it?" Ichigo asked. Akina chuckled.

"He said something about my womb being able to carry a child, but unable to provide the means for it's creation. And he had an embryo that, combined with some treatments, would let me get pregnant and have a baby. Nine months later, Makoto was born."

"So how did you find out about Aizen? About what he was?" Ichigo asked.

"He told me."

At Ichigo's look, Akina smiled gently.

"I was not inclined to spill the secrets of, or work against the man who gave me a son... He saw this. He was always so... Perceptive," she sighed. "He told me that eventually, Makoto would have to come work for him, as Soul Society might not welcome him." She bit her lower lip.

"I... I suppose I should have expected this to happen as soon as that girl showed up... The one with her hair in a bun?"

Ichigo nodded. "Well... Aizen took him. And one of my friends. He's going to make war on Soul Society."

"And you must fight him?" She asked. Ichigo nodded again. Akina chuckled.

"He did have the air of a man who was going to do big things... Cause terrible things... So ambitious, so confident..." She noticed Ichigo's stare, and flushed a bit.

"Well... I don't get a lot of attention from men at my age. It was nice to be appreciated..."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Ichigo asked. Akina shrugged.

"I thought you deserved to know... You're going to rescue him, aren't you? Him and your friend?"

Ichigo nodded. "Definitely."

Akina smiled and stood up. She walked up to Ichigo and before he could react, gave him a hug.

"Come back safely... Both of you... And please, when you see him... Let him know I love him, no matter how he was born," she said. Ichigo flushed a bit, then nodded.

"I... Right," he said. "I will."

"Good," Akina murmured. She stood up a bit straighter and gave him a kiss on his cheek (making him blush), before she pulled away and gave him a polite bow.

"Take care and good luck, Kurosaki-san," she said, before she turned and opened the door. Her smile turned into a frown when she saw Isshin listening at the door with a glass to his ear. He coughed and smiled charmingly up at her.

"Ah, greetings Kikanuma-san! I was simply checking on my extremely rude son!"

"Have no fear, Kurosaki-san, your son remains a virgin," Akina said with a bright smile. She looked over her shoulder at Ichigo and winked. "For now~..."

"Huh?!" Ichigo choked, as Akina simply chuckled and stepped over Isshin, heading off on her way. Isshin's yells and Ichigo's bellowing followed her out to the street.

- - - - - - - - - -

_I might turn this into a full story if enough people desired it. Review and tell me what you think!_


	21. Chapter 21

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_- - - - - - -_

_Cracktastic crossover story idea._

_- - - - - - -  
_

Ishida Uryu sighed and pushed his glasses up. It was a rare day where he could simply relax and enjoy the sunlight. He could sense nothing threatening nearby, his father had important business to attend to rather than have their awkward yearly meeting, and best of all... No Kurosaki Ichigo.

Yes, as he reclined on a bus bench and looked out over the city, things were looking to be-

_"REEAAARRGGGHHHHHH!!!"_ A Hollow rounded the corner, trailing ooze from several blast points all over it's body. A torrent of the slime washed over Ishida as the predatory ghost ran for it's life.

_UWEAH! UWEAH! UWEAH!_ A white van with siren wailing and lights flashing on top of it took the corner haphazardly, a familiar orange haired idiot hanging on top of it while firing a proton gun after the Hollow.

"GET BACK HERE YOU BASTARD!" Ichigo bellowed as the van roared by, in hot pursuit. Ishida sat there, very calmly, even as a tree cut down by Ichigo's errant proton blasts fell down right next to him, covering him in leaves and dust.

He then sighed and stood up.

"Of course," he mumbled, sticking his hands in his pockets. "At least it can't get any..." He shook his head. What was he thinking? He didn't dare say a single additional word of that sentence.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Uh, Mr. Kurosaki, I think you're going just a bit too fast!" Tatsuki shouted over the siren, gripping the armrests of her seat tightly. Driving the van, Isshin Kurosaki grinned and slammed down even harder on the accelerator.

"What's that, Arisawa?! I can't hear you! HEY ICHIGO! Are you going to get the ghost or should I slow down?"

"SHUT UP OLD MAN AND KEEP IT STEADY!" Ichigo bellowed back. He growled and once more fired another shot at the Hollow, this time nailing it in the back. "GAH!"

"If you were a better shot, we'd have the Hollow by now!" Isshin shouted back.

"SHUT UP!" Ichigo bellowed. Tatsuki groaned and shook her head, holding her hand to her forehead. She couldn't even see the ghost completely without the paragoggles-Just a hazy outline. But it's effects on the environment were real enough, and that was what counted.

"Tatsuki! Mind helping out my troublesome son?" Isshin asked. "The proton pack, Karin!"

"What? Why does she get to use it?" Karin protested, looking very unhappy about this.

"Because you're not old enough to use it without going sterile, and I want grandchildren!" Isshin declared.

"Then why do you let Ichigo use it?!" Tatsuki shouted. Isshin grinned and held a thumbs up.

"Oh, he'll be fine! He's tough!"

Unaware of this conversation going on below him, Ichigo finally managed to get a bead on the Hollow. He smirked and fired, full stream.

"GOTCHA!" He shouted, as the Hollow was blasted into a wall. "And now...!"

He switched to the capture stream, and yanked the Hollow up into the air. The van screeched to a halt, sending Ichigo tumbling off to the ground facefirst. "GAH!"

"ICHIGO! Oh my God!" Tatsuki shouted. She jumped out of the car and ran over to him. "Hang on, are you all-?"

"RARRGGGHHH!" The Hollow shouted as it dove down for them. Tatsuki gaped, reached for her thrower, _I'm not going to make it I'm not going to-!_

Ichigo rolled over, holding up his trap. With a confident smirk, he opened up the trap, causing the Hollow's triumphant cry to turn into a scream of shock and dismay.

_"YEEEAARRGGGHHH-!_"

_SNAP... Beep beep beep..._

Ichigo sighed and set the smoking trap down, staring up at the sky. He then glanced over at Tatsuki, who was staring at him in total shock. He blinked.

"What?"

"... YOU IDIOT!" Tatsuki bellowed, hitting him hard.

"OW! Wh-What was that for?!" Ichigo shouted.

"IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT! YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" She bellowed. Ichigo sighed, and took Tatsuki's hits.

"Ow... Ow... Y-Yeah... But I wasn't..."

Tatsuki sighed and held her head. "Goddamnit Ichigo..."

"It's all right," he said. He groaned and slowly sat up, looking her in the eyes. "I won't get killed too easily." He smirked. "I'd have to deal with your yelling even in death."

"Idiot," Tatsuki sighed. "Don't do that ever again, got it?"

"All right," Ichigo said, granting her a brief smile which made her cheeks go red. "I won't."

"Awwww... Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! You know you want to!"

Both Ichigo and Tatsuki turned, blushing and glaring at Isshin who held up a camera. Yuzu and Karin stood nearby, Yuzu blushing and Karin looking annoyed.

"CUT THAT OUT!" They bellowed.

On a rooftop nearby, a bewildered Kuchiki Rukia watched the whole thing with wide eyes.

"This is definitely out of the ordinary... Even for this town..."

- - - - - - - -

_Conversely, why does it have to be Ichigo who's the Ghostbuster? Why not Tatsuki? Given that Tatsuki is useless for most of the series (and until recently didn't get any powers until Urahara dressed her up as a Sentai reject), what if she was fighting Hollows with her small company thanks to the franchise her parents used to own? Keigo and Mizuro are her hapless employees, and she drags Ichigo and Chad into it (Kon later taking over Ichigo's job, allowing Ichigo to be a shinigami "full time"). Chizuru replaces Chad in an effort to get closer to Orihime by proving herself an able employee (and lowering Tatsuki's guard), and eventually the company finds themselves crossing paths with Soul Society more and more, until finally..._

_- - - - - - - -  
_

Aizen had expected no resistance upon entering Soul Society. All of their captains were trapped in the Living World, and his Arrancar were occupying the Vizard.

So it was with some mild surprise (that turned into amusement) when he ascertained the nature of the resistance meeting him.

"Sousuke Aizen! As a duly designated representative of the country of Japan, the prefecture of Tokyo, and the city of Karakura Town, I hereby order you to return forthwith to Hueco Mundo, or the nearest parallel dimension!" Arisawa Tatsuki stated in a loud, clear voice. Aizen instantly recogized their surroundings-The top of the White Tower. He immediately spied reishi-spewing devices nearby, which had directed the garganta he, Gin and Tousen had used to enter Soul Society.

With the foolish girl were three humans of a high spiritual awareness, and a mod soul inhabiting the body of Kurosaki Ichigo. Aizen smiled at the assembled group, noting the weapons carried on their backs and in their hands.

"I'm afraid that no authority in any world or dimension can force me to retire from my mission, Miss Arisawa," Aizen replied in a polite voice, raising his spiritual pressure. Rather than be crushed, the humans before him stayed standing. Tatsuki smirked, as Aizen abruptly found himself unable to move.

"Oh, but I insist," she stated, pulling a thrower attachment off her pack and pointing it at him. Her comrades followed.

"You see, Mr. Aizen, my company has remained the best in Japan because we stay on the cutting edge," Tatsuki said.

"That, and by being the only such company in Japan," a short, blue-haired boy muttered. Tatsuki ignored him, and fired a stream of energy out of her weapon. Aizen felt himself be lassoed by the beam, and the other members of Tatsuki's group joined her in firing at Gin and Tousen.

"To wit, we've had to carefully study and analyze every scrap of information we could get our hands on regarding Shinigami, Hollows, and do you know what we found?" Tatsuki continued conversationally. "That in the jumps between dimensions you guys do, an amount of radiation builds up. Very unique radiation, that sticks to the entity doing the traveling." She pulled a box-like device off her belt and threw in underneath the struggling traitors.

"And thanks to said radiation, we were able to direct your dimensional transit, and also paralyze all three of you by... Some complicated particle field manipulation, I dunno, I'm just the chairwoman of the company, my dad does the really, really technical stuff," Tatsuki said. "It was a real bitch building the devices needed to exploit this-Hell, we had to contract out to Urahara!"

"I can't believe what he made me do!" Chizuru sniffled. "Hit on men to sell things!"

"But in the end, I think you'll agree it was totally worth it," Tatsuki finished with a grin. Aizen focused his full will through the garganta, forcing any of his subjects to respond...

And one did.

"RARRRRGGGHHHH!" Blasting out of the garganta behind them, Yammy had been shrunk down to his pre-release form. But, as he went sailing over the roof and down off the tower, he re-released it, growing into a gigantic monster of an Arrancar.

"Okay, that's not good," Kon said, looking back over his shoulder. Tatsuki grimaced.

"Well, it just means we charge extra, right?" Keigo asked with a nervous giggle.

"Only if we survive," Mizuro said.

"Stop being so depressing!" Keigo growled.

- - - - - - - - -

The tower shook violently, and one of Urahara's devices for keeping Aizen and his fellow traitors frozen fell off.

"Oh no!" Keigo cried. Aizen's spiritual energy rose dramatically, and he began to repel the particle streams. Tatsuki cursed loudly.

"Full stream, now! Try to hold them!" She shouted.

"I don't think we're going to be able to do that for long!" Mizuru shouted.

"Nnngh..." Aizen struggled, beginning to move once more.

"Ideas anyone?!" Tatsuki shouted.

"Run and panic?" Kon offered.

"Where would we run?!" Keigo shouted.

"Only problem in that plan!" Kon shouted back.

For Aizen's own part, while his body remained mostly paralyzed, his senses were still finely tuned. Reiatsu was spiking nearby, signalling the entrance of more shinigami back into Soul Society. This trap was delaying him from achieving godhood-Karakura Town was mere kilometers away.

"Yammy," he managed to boom, reiatsu enhancing his sub-vocalization. "Destroy the tower!"

The Zero Espada responded with a Cero, blasting up at the top of the tower. Kon and Tatsuki, the only ones with the required reflexes, managed to turn and fire their throwers at the Cero, adding Boson darts to their streams.

_KABOOOOMMM!_ While this kept the tower from being totally destroyed, the resulting explosion knocked all of the Ghostbusters off their feet, slamming into the hard tower top and causing the restrainment devices to short out or fall off.

"Uh oh," Chizuru said, as Aizen, Gin and Tousen were freed. Aizen offered a small nod.

"Admirable, but futile. Gin! Tousen!" They vanished into flashstep, leaving the Ghostbusters with Yammy's roar to contend with.

"Oh great!" Chizuru groaned. "We're going to die, and so is everyone else!"

"Keep it together, Chizuru!" Tatsuki shouted.

"But-But-!"

The tower shook as Yammy began ascending the tower. Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuru, and Kon all looked over the edge.

"Okay, new problem," Tatsuki muttered. "EVERYONE! Target him, full stream!"

"But if Aizen's already to Karakura-!" Mizuru tried.

"We won't do them any good dead! READY!" Tatsuki shouted. Chizuru reluctantly obeyed with the rest of them.

"AIM! FIRE!" Tatsuki bellowed, and five highly charged particle streams lashed out at the Espada. Boson Darts followed, having enough energy to blast Yammy's head back, and make him nearly lose his grip on the tower.

"REEARRGGGHHH! YOU BASTARDS!" He bellowed, sending a wave of pwoerful reiatsu up at them. All of the Ghostbusters were sent flying, slamming down hard near the still-open _garganta_.

"_That_ went well," Mizuru mumbled.

"Oh man, oh man... We're gonna die, we're all gonna die!" Keigo cried.

"No we're not! No we're not!" Tatsuki shouted. She sat up with a groan. "Ungh... Great... Just great..."

"So now what?" Mizuru asked. Tatsuki looked at Kon.

"Kon?"

"I thought you said you didn't want any more ideas from me," Kon retorted. "ULP!" Tatsuki grabbed him by the collar and growled.

"Karakura Town is on the line, Aizen's not held by the particle thingies, and we're facing Godzilla the Espada! Do I _look_ like I'm in the mood for jokes?!"

"... Maybe one?" Kon suggested with a weak smile.

"Well, one of the particle thingies is still working," Mizuru offered. He had his paragoggles down and was looking at it. He then shifted his gaze.

"Hey... Look!"

"What? What? I want to see!" Keigo said, pulling down his own goggles to look. "Woah... It's... A trail!"

"A what?" Tatsuki demanded. "Kon?"

The mod soul closed his eyes, using his spiritual sensors (recently provided by Urahara) to observe the effect.

"Yeah... Those particles we used to keep Aizen and all those guys trapped are flowing out... It's a trail..."

"So... In theory, we could pull them all back into the _garganta_ by reversing the particle flow?" Keigo said. Upon seeing everyone staring at him, he looked indignant.

"What?! So what if it's a stupid plan?"

"No, it's not a stupid plan, Keigo," Mizuru said.

"Doesn't sound stupid to me," Tatsuki offered.

"It's totally stupid," Kon said. _WHACK!_ "OW!"

"And you would say that because...?" Tatsuki asked flatly.

"Well... Because the only way to do it would be if we could pump a massive amount of energy into the _garganta_ before it closes! And the only way to do that is to-"

"Cross the streams," Chizuru said. At everyone's look, she shrugged.

"Hey, I _did_ see the movie... And I'm not doing it!"

"Would Orihime do it?" Tatsuki asked with a sigh.

"Th-That's not fair!" Chizuru cried.

The tower shook, and Yammy's bellow announced that the Espada was again ascending up to get them. Tatsuki shrugged.

"Well... It's either that, or everyone dies..."

Everyone thought about it for a moment. Then, surprisingly, Keigo stood up and set his proton pack to full power.

"Well... I've always wanted to be part of something... Not much bigger than saving the world, right?" He asked. He smirked and shrugged. "Besides... We're already in the afterlife."

"Makes for a short trip," Mizuru said, also getting up.

Kon stood up, and smirked.

"Are you kidding? I haven't been cool since my debut!"

"For my sweet Orihime!" Chizuru shouted, holding her neutrona wand up high. Tatsuki gave a rare smile to them all, and also stood up.

"Let's do it!"

- - - - - - - - -

His goal was so close, Aizen could practically see the stairway to godhood, the means of ascent. And the only obstacle left in his path...

Was Urahara Kisuke. The former captain stood in the air in front of Karakura Town, leaning on his cane with a smile.

"Kisuke... Are you here to oppose me as well?" Aizen asked. Urahara lifted his head, still smiling. His eyes danced mischievously.

"Yes."

Aizen searched the area with his formidable senses and thought about everything he knew about Urahara. Dramatic, suicidal last stands weren't his style, so he must have some sort of trap. But Aizen could detect nothing-No strange reiatsu, nothing out of place.

"Then by all means, let's get on with it," Aizen said easily. "I have time enough to enjoy one of your inventions before my ascent."

"Ah, that is one of your problems, Sousuke," Urahara said. "You enjoy talking when everything you have planned falls into place, illustrating how you have triumphed and duped the ones you have plotted against." The scientist's grin grew by just a hair.

"But far be it for me to point out the log in another one's eye and all that. For you see, I too have a problem with theatrics." His smile became an all-out grin, as Aizen felt something wrong. Felt as though he was being pulled, every part of his being under restraint.

"What...?!" Aizen's aura glowed red, as did those of his compatriots. Urahara chuckled.

"But unlike you, Aizen, I was never very good at chess... I'm more of a D&D fan, myself... And I do believe my players have just rolled a 20." He waved as Aizen, Gin, and Tousen were yanked back, streaking for the tower.

- - - - - - - - -

"THAT'S DOING IT! KEEP CROSSING THE STREAMS!" Tatsuki shouted, as all five streams roiled and coiled together like massive pythons. The glow was intense, as was the heat. Energy streamed back into the _garganta_, the dimensional rip fluttering.

"OH NOOOOOOOO!" Yammy bellowed, the great Arrancar being torn apart as he was pulled into the vortex. A moment later, Aizen, Gin and Tousen flew into the portal after him.

"Bye byyyyyyyyeeee!" Gin managed to yelp as he vanished into the abyss.

"Gaaaaahhhhhhh!" Tousen was far less articulate.

Aizen, surprisingly, was perfectly calm as he was yanked through the gate, sparing the Ghostbusters a rueful smile.

"Well played," he managed, before the streams reached critical mass and the _garganta_ began to collapse.

"GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF-!" Tatsuki screamed, just as the entire tower exploded... A sight the surviving captains, vice-captains, Vizard, and Ichigo and his allies all witnessed as they re-entered Soul Society over the real, sleeping Karakura Town.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Man, I've been doing a lot of Ghostbusters related writing lately. But that's just because the game is so fricking awesome. To be continued after I write more Reflection!_


	22. Chapter 22

- - - - - - - - - -

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit._

_- - - - - - - - -_

Ichigo awoke to the distant sound of the TV blaring. He blinked his bleary eyes and sat up. He groaned and looked at the closet. It was open... And empty.

"Huh?" He blinked a few more times, and while sleepy, his brain managed to fire up enough neurons to make the connection. He groaned and got up.

"Gahh... What the hell is she doing...?" He mumbled, opening the door and softly heading down the stairs. Some of the sounds became a little more distinctive, such as a man's voice (which seemed strangely familiar). He soon reached the living room, still stealthy. No reason to wake up his sisters.

As it approahed, he noticed a few things. One, Rukia was lying on the floor, kicking her feet up in the air, chin support by her hands. She looked extremely adorable, even while showing off her best feature (which Ichigo reluctantly wrested his eyes away from to look at the screen).

It was at this point his tired brain exploded with power buzzing along his synpases, shock driving it to make another connection. This time, between the voice he'd heard on the stairs, and the image of the man on screen.

"_Hello, boys and girls_," Sousuke Aizen said pleasantly, his hair as it was before he crushed his glasses, and said glasses adorning his face. He also wore a zip-up cardigan sweater, and seemed to be sitting on a couch with a puppet rabbit next to him. "_It is a beautiful day out today, isn't it Chappy?"  
_  
"_No, it's a rotten day out, Mr. Aizen_," Chappy said unhappily.

"_Oh? And why is that, Chappy_?" Aizen asked.

"_Because I lost my ball, and because I lost it, the whole world is rotten! I've tried and tried, but I can't find it! And nobody will help me find it!"_ Chappy continued sadly. Aizen sympathetically patted Chappy on the head with a kindly smile.

"_But Chappy... Surely your ball isn't the only ball in the world, is it?"  
_  
"_No, but it's the only ball that's MY ball,"_ Chappy sighed.

Ichigo found all efforts to action impeded by the sheer insanity of this scene. It didn't help that, when he got close enough to notice Rukia's face, she was totally absorbed, even mouthing the lines as if she knew them by heart.

"RUKIA!" He growled. Rukia turned to him, and her eyes widened in horror.

"I-ICHIGO!" She hissed back.

"What the hell is this?!" Ichigo demanded.

"N-Not so loud! You'll wake everyone up and-"

"Is that Aizen as Mr. Rogers?! ARE YOU WATCHING AIZEN AS MR. ROG-ERK!"

Rukia silenced him with a whack to the head, and shushed him violently.

"Quiet quiet quiet! What are you doing?! You'll wake everyone up!"

"Why are you watching a kid's show with Aizen?!" Ichigo demanded.

"It-It was my favorite show in Seireitei, okay?!" Rukia said. "This-This was before we knew he was evil!"

"So why are you watching it NOW?!" Ichigo hissed. Rukia averted her eyes with a sigh.

"Well... I-I suppose I was feeling a little nostalgic... And kind of... Well..." She looked back at the screen.

"I didn't like him as much as Hinamori did, but... I missed this show when I was growing up in Soul Society, and when I watched it, I felt like the rough childhood I had was... You know... Being replaced by something better."

Ichigo turned from Rukia to the screen. Even though he knew what Aizen was, there was a strangely genuine air about him as he talked candidly and warmly to the people watching the show.

"He wasn't the only one to do this show though," Rukia said.

"Huh?"

"It's public access, supposed to promote the public's trust in the Gotei 13. All of the captains, their vice-captains and sometimes their divisions take turns hosting a children's program," Rukia explained. Ichigo's eyes widened.

"Even... Even Zaraki?"

Rukia coughed. "... Well... Um... He's actually good when he's offering advice to kids about hunting, cleaning and preparing food, and cooking..."

Ichigo tried to imagine Kenpachi with his own cooking show... And decided he preferred being sane to accepting that the Eleventh Division captain might have hobbies other than slaughtering enemies in battle.

"Vice-Captain Kusajishi and Yumichika are always funny to watch, and Ikkaku is a pretty good storyteller..." She smiled at him. "Who knows? Maybe you'll be asked to host the show for a while..."

Ichigo was silent for a while, watching it. He shook his head.

"Maybe..." He crossed his arms and snorted. "I wouldn't like it though."

"Oh come on, you'd love it! I've seen how you are with your sisters," Rukia teased.

"I wouldn't!"

"Maybe you could dress up as a bunny-"

"HELL NO!"

- - - - - - - - -

In Soul Society, Captain-General Yamamoto looked at the roster for their captains, and then back at the large pile of fanmail; requesting, begging and even demanding that "Seireitei Street" continue.

In the light of the war to come, he was reluctant. His first inclination was to simply issue a statement that the show would no longer be produced until Aizen was defeated.

He reached for his pen, about to start the statement.

"Captain-General?"

He looked up, seeing Captain Unohana standing before him. The Fourth Division leader bowed politely, and regarded him with a serene smile.

"Yes?"

"I have been asked by a number of my own subordinates to come before you with their requests," she said.

"For?" Yamamoto warily asked.

"The continuation of Seireitei Street," she said pleasantly. She looked at the pile of letters on his desk and her smile grew a bit impish. "But I believe you are aware of how many people desire it's production."

"We are fast approaching a war, Captain Unohana," Yamamoto reminded her.

"Yes Captain-General, you are right," Unohana said. "However, training and looking forward to battle are not the things a populace looking down an approaching blade can continue on alone. There must be a reminder of things to come, better things, after victory. Reminders of what we fight for."

Yamamoto was silent for a time. Unohana waited. At last, Yamamoto took a deep breath, and nodded.

"... Very well. So long as Division efficiency is maintained, the show may continue."

Unohana smiled and nodded.

"However! Given our low number of captains, I suggest you find some people not too occupied with command and control functions to host it," Yamamoto said.

Unohana nodded again.

"I may have just the people in mind..."

- - - - - - - -

_Sesame Street + Bleach + My own demented mind = This. _


	23. Chapter 23

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_

* * *

_

_Sorry for the very slow, very short updates guys. School is sucking at my brain with a straw, eagerly taking both my money and my creativity. So enjoy some random bits I've managed to put together._

_Even more Reflection! Consider these some random bits for the story proper._

_

* * *

_

"Woo hooooo!" Makoto cheered happily, riding a giant dragon made of cheese down a steep hill of rice. "Yee haaaaaa! Oh yeah! This is awesommmme!"

He laughed merrily at every twist and turn, waving to the pumpkin people and floating olives he passed on his way. "Ah, this is great! I'm off to see the Eggplant King, and we'll have tea, and then-Eh?"

Kyougetsu stood in front of the cheese dragon, looking distinctly unamused. Makoto brought it to a screeching halt, before jumping out onto a marshmallow.

"You? What the heck are you doing here?" He complained. "Don't I get enough of you when I'm awake?"

"Well, I had decided to alert you of some... Interesting circumstances going on while you were asleep, but I see you're busy," the zanpakuto spirit said wryly. Makoto huffed and nodded.

"You're damn right I'm busy! The Eggplant King is waiting for us!"

"Yeah!" Said the cheese dragon.

"Well, I'm so terribly sorry to interrupt," Kyougetsu said with a smirk. Makoto crossed his arms over his chest, feeling less sure of himself.

"Yeah well, you should be!"

"I am."

"Well... Good!"

"Indeed," Kyougetsu said.

"Yeah! Whatever!" Makoto said flatly, walking back up to his dragon.

"By the way... How many children will you be wanting?" Kyougetsu asked.

Makoto spun around so hard he slipped on some cheese and fell down on his ass.

"WHAT?!"

"It seems the enterprising young fukutaichou has designed upon bearing you some children," Kyougetsu said, looking incredibly amused. Makoto's eyes widened.

"N-NO! WAKE UP, WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UPPPP!"

The dreamworld vanished, replaced with a pair of warm brown eyes and an all too familiar smile.

"H-Hinamori?" Makoto managed, mentally running his checklist. _Covers... Gone. Boxers... On their way down. Her clothing?_

He looked down, and turned bright red. _Long gone..._

"Oh! Hello Makoto-sama. This will make things _much_ better," she purred. She then _moved_, which caused Makoto's teenaged hormones to nearly push his mind out of the realm of panic and into the realm of total oblivion.

_F-F-Focus! Focus! Focus on something else! Besides how good she feels and how warm and soft and-GAAAAHHHHH!_

"H-Hinamori, um, what are you doing?" Makoto asked.

"Why, what does it look like I'm doing?" Hinamori asked, undoing her bun and letting her hair down. She smiled so cutely that half of Makoto was tempted to just shut up and ask no more questions.

The other half managed to wrest control of his mouth.

"Ah, er, um, s-sex?"

"Yes! I never did this with Captain Aizen... Or anyone else," she admitted with a blush. "I hope you don't mind though... I will be gentle~..."

_Think fast, boy wonder,_ he thought.

"Uh... Er... I-I have a girlfriend?"

"No you don't."

"I'm engaged?"

"Nope."

"I-I have... AIDS!"

"No you don't."

"... I'm gay?" He squeaked. Hinamori actually _smirked_, and slid her hand... Down a little...

_Oh boy..._ Makoto thought, as verbally he tried not to moan. "Ahh...!"

"Makoto-sama, a little nervousness is to be expected," Hinamori continued in that maddeningly cute and sexy voice. "After all... This is the first night of the rest of our lives~..."

"L-Lives?"

"Oh yes! We'll get married, we'll have children, a nice big house in Seireitei while you're a part-time teacher at the academy, and I'm your loyal wife and fukutaichou," Hinamori said with a happy sigh. "I can see it all now~..."

"Wah?! Children?!" Makoto managed to find strength against his hormones by one means-Resistance to his freedom being taken away... At least, not without his permission, anyway. He pushed her away and leaped out the window. "HAHA! Free-!"

_THUD_

"... Ow..." Makoto mumbled, sitting up. "Owww..."

Kyougetsu appeared and smirked. "Normally I might advise you going to shinigami form, but that would just leave her a, ahem, willing participant..."

"You have such _perfect_ timing!" Makoto growled, running off as fast as he could. Up above, Hinamori looked sad... Before smiling brightly.

"Oh well... There's always next time!"

* * *

A really, really twisted idea just entered my brain, in light of the new filler arc of _Bleach_. So, without further ado, here's what happens when Urahara and Kyougetsu meet.

* * *

"I feel... Really, really stupid," Makoto said. It was hard not to feel stupid while wearing a colander on your head, with what appeared to be Christmas lights blinking on and off it. Urahara smiled cheerfully.

"Good! That is the proper feeling to have!" The former Shinigami captain was typing away at a rather bizarrely modified laptop, while Tessai was examining a monitor on a large stack of various devices that Makoto imagined had some grand function all together. The wires leading to and fro like lines on a grid from the laptop, giant device, and the pot on his head completed the circuit.

"So, what is this thing supposed to do, anyway?" Ichigo asked, sitting nearby with Rukia. It really meant a lot to Makoto that the substitute Shinigami was willing to come with him to Urahara's-The blonde guy still put him on edge. Not just in a "mad scientist" sort of way, but on a more primal level.

"Well, given Makoto's testimony on his zanpakuto spirit, I thought it would be good if we could get a better look at his spiritual make-up," Urahara said cheerfully.

"Why not just examine my sword?" Makoto asked.

"The colander wouldn't fit it," Tessai said. Makoto blinked and stared at the large man. The large man said nothing else, and Makoto sighed, looking back at Ichigo with a long suffering look.

"Look on the bright side... It could be Mayuri doing the examination," Ichigo suggested. Makoto shuddered, as though out of habit.

"We should be glad it's Urahara then," Rukia added.

"Oh, him! He's enthusiastic but far too invasive," Urahara said cheerfully. "He'd cut out the heart of a patient to figure out why it wasn't beating properly-Aha!"

"Aha?" Makoto asked, feeling a bit sick at the mental image of Kurotsuchi Mayuri ripping his heart out, _Temple of Doom_ style.

"Something interesting," Urahara said.

"Well, what is it?" Rukia asked.

"It looks like his zanpakuto spirit can already partially manifest into this world," Urahara surmised. "Much like my bankai training aid does."

"So, wait, I have a bankai?" Makoto asked. Urahara shook his head.

"It's not as simple as that. You must also make your zanpakuto spirit submit to you," Urahara said. "You say your zanpakuto spirit appears frequently, and talks to you. Can anyone else see him?"

"No," Makoto said sourly. As far as he was concerned, Kyougetsu just enjoyed screwing with him and making him seem crazy in public.

He had been strangely quiet the moment they'd entered Urahara's shop though...

_Hey, Kyougetsu? You there?_ Makoto thought. _Hello? Helloooo?_

No answer. Makoto scowled, and decided to try a few exercises Hinamori had taught him in regards to finding his zanpakuto spirit.

"Hmmm... Trying to pull him out, Kikanuma-san?" Urahara asked, eyes never leaving his laptop screen.

"He doesn't like this place," Makoto said. It was a bit of a lie though-Kyougetsu didn't like Urahara.

_C'mon, he's better than the clown guy, right? Come out... Come out..._

_**Why?**_

Urahara's laptop beeped, and Tessai's mass of electronics sputtered, whistled and hooted.

_Because the nice guy in the weird hat is trying to analyze you, that's why,_ Makoto thought back.

_**He is dangerous.**_

_No shit. He used to be a Shinigami captain, dangerous is part of that definition,_ Makoto thought back sarcastically.

_**He is dangerous in ways you do not know...**_

_Will you quit with the goddamned vagueness?! You say you're not Aizen, but you sure seem to like pulling strings and treating me like another pawn!_

"He's zoning out again," Ichigo sighed. Rukia looked intently at Makoto, only for Ichigo to catch the look.

"No."

Rukia pouted. "He didn't mind the last time!"

"He couldn't _protest_..."

_On and on and on you just keep belittling and tormenting me,_ Makoto continued, ignorant of Ichigo and Rukia's squabble. _What, would you prefer I was Aizen himself?_

The zanpakuto spirit actually manifested, glaring hard and intimidatingly at Makoto. The young shinigami glared right back.

"Do not presume to know me, Kikanuma Makoto," Kyougetsu said coldly. "You barely know yourself."

"Yeah? Well you pretend to know me and know what's best for me, but guess what? You haven't the slightest, single idea what would be best for me!" Makoto growled. "You just keep pushing me to be something I'm not!"

"What? A warrior? A competent fighter? Somebody who can actually _survive_?" Kyougetsu shot back. "None of your worthless digital or analog entertainment can form the basis for success!"

"That's where you're WRONG!" Makoto grinned, drawing his zanpakuto as he stood up. "And if you really knew everything about me, you'd _know_ this! Maybe if you tried to be my _friend_ instead of some egotistical jerk, we'd be where YOU want us to be!"

"Would I?" Kyougetsu asked, stepping closer to Makoto. "I find that _highly_-"

It was a pity the spirit had stepped right into the path of the wires connecting the colander to Urahara's machines. If he hadn't, Makoto and Kyougetsu could have continued their argument for several additional minutes. In contrast to what actually happened, this would have been preferred.

_KAZAP!_

Ichigo and Rukia's eyes widened as it appeared Aizen himself was in the room. Urahara actually raised an eyebrow, and Tessai turned to gasp.

However, this shock turned into confusion when Makoto's sword jumped out of it's scabbard and bounced to join with the "Aizen" spirit.

"Huh?" Makoto managed. "Uh... Kyougetsu? You okay?"

The zanpakuto spirit blinked a few times... And then grinned, which needless to say looked horribly wrong and disturbing on Aizen's face.

"You know Makoto, I've been thinking, perhaps you're right," he said. He moved quickly, wrapping an arm around Makoto's shoulders and hugging the smaller boy tightly against his side.

"Urk!" Makoto managed. Kyougetsu waved out a hand, a shining look in his eyes.

"Your knowledge of entertainment and determination, plus my power and wisdom-It's perfect! We'll be unstoppable, kid!"

"Uh, er, wait, what?" Makoto asked in confusion. "D'OH!" He was dropped onto the floor as the room and Kyougetsu seemed to grow bigger.

"Confused? Well, just sit back and ruminate, whilst I _illuminate_ the possibilities," Kyougetsu said, spinning in mid-air as he glowed with power.

"This cannot be good," Ichigo mumbled, as loud music began to play.

_BAM!_ Kyougetsu was now huge, and leaning over Makoto while resting on crossed arms. He then held up his hands as though holding a hand of cards and spread his fingers.

_"Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherezad-ie had a thousand tales_," Kyougetsu sang, his fingers turning into Arrancar who hopped up and menaced Makoto. The young Shinigami got up and looked around in fear.

_"But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves! You got a brand of magic never fails~,"_ Kyougetsu continued, reappearing behind Makoto and extending his arms out Makoto's sleeves. With these larger arms, Makoto deftly defeated all his opponents with a flurry of fists, just before they vanished and a boxing ring took their place. Makoto fell down into the corner, and Ichigo and Rukia found themselves rubbing his shoulders and fanning him, respectively.

"_You got some power in your corner now! Some heavy ammunition in your camp!_" Kyougetsu exploded repeatedly around Makoto and his friends in time with the next lyrics.

_"You got some punch! Pizzazz! Yahoo and how!_" Kyougetsu handed Makoto back his sword and winked.

"_See all you gotta do is draw that sword, And I'll say..._"

Makoto, Ichigo and Rukia seemed to fall, right into places at a fancy restaurant's table. Kyougetsu loomed over them proudly, wearing a waiter's uniform and mustache.

"_Mister Makoto, sir, What will your pleasure be?"_ A sumptuous feast appeared before all three, as Kyougetsu switched to a French accent.

_"Let me take your order, jot it down-"_ And in another moment he was wrapping an arm around Makoto's shoulders again and grinning.

_"You ain't never had a friend like me!"_ He elbowed the stunned Ichigo a few times with a smile.

"_No no no!_" With that, Kyougetsu seemed to calm down, and extended his hand to the covered center dish on the table.

_"Life is your restaurant,"_ he began smoothly, pulling the cover away and revealing... His grinning head with a pair of chicken legs on his cheeks.

"_And I'm your maitre d'!_" He bellowed, making Makoto, Rukia and Ichigo fall backwards. In another instant, Kyougetsu's ear was much larger, and in Makoto's face.

_"C'mon whisper what it is you want, you ain't never had a friend like me!_" Kyougetsu murmured, before pulling back and splitting into several copies. Makoto was now sitting in a barber shop chair, Rukia and Ichigo right next to him. Ichigo was getting a shave, and Rukia a facial, manicure and pedicure, all of which she seemed to be enjoying.

_"Yes sir, we pride ourselves on service,"_ Kyougetsu said, as his copies continued serving the three Shinigami. In another quick scene transition Makoto fell out of his chair just before he was going to get a haircut, landing on a massive throne.

_"You're the boss, the king, the shah!_" Kyougetsu cried, in more flashes of light Rukia dressed up as a bunnygirl and Ichigo as a royal guard standing on either side of Makoto's throne. Rukia seemed shocked, but also pleased with the change, while Ichigo looked increasingly annoyed.

_"Say what you wish, it's yours! True dish,_" Kyougetsu said, sweeping his hand in front of Makoto and bring into existence a feast fit for a king. Just before Makoto could take a bite though, Kyougetsu lifted a cup and turned it upside down,

_"How about a little more Baklavaaaaa?"_ Kyougetsu sang, as a flood of strange, sweet-smelling pastries seemed to bury Makoto and his companions. In another instant, Makoto was standing in front of two stacks of people. Males in one pile (Ichigo on top and looking perturbed), females in the other (Rukia and a confused Orihime up top on the other.)

_"Have some of column 'A',"_ Kyougetsu suggested, indicating the men. At Makoto's vigorous head shaking and disbelieving eyes, the zanpakuto shrugged and grinned as he gestured over at the women: _"Try ALL of column 'B'!"_

Kyougetsu snapped his fingers and Makoto once more found himself in freefall.

"Gaaahhhhh!" He shouted, just before he hit something soft and bouncy. He'd landed on a giant pillow, held by an equally giant Kyougetsu who grinned and winked.

_"I'm in the mood to help you dude! You ain't never had a friend like me!_" Kyougetsu sang. He shrank again, now wearing a top hat and suit, and while spinning a cane performed a snazzy dance routine with Urahara and Tessai, who both looked... Enthused about the whole thing.

_"Can your friends do this?_" Kyougetsu asked, snapping his head off his neck and juggling it.

_"Do your friends do that?_" The head asked, now bouncing between Urahara and Tessai like a game of badminton while Kyougetsu's body continued to dance.

_"Do your friends pull this,_" Kyougetsu asked, head landing on his neck as he took off his hat and rammed his hand into it. "_Out their little haaaaat?"_

And out of the hat came Rukia, once more in a bunny suit. Makoto saw Ichigo nosebleed next to him, and couldn't really blame him.

"_Can your friends go, poof? Well, looky here, eheh,"_ Kyougetsu sang, a snap of his fingers bringing Orihime, Tatsuki and Yoruichi into being, all dressed as catgirls. Tatsuki looked shocked, even as she danced, but Orihime and Yoruichi cheerfully went with it, whipping their tails at eachother.

_"Can your friends go, 'Abracadabra, let 'er rip! And then make the sucker disappeaaaar?_" Kyougetsu had torn himself in half, and recombined, now looming over Makoto as Orihime, Yoruichi and Tatsuki vanished.

_"So doncha sit there slack jawed,_" here Kyougetsu's eyes stretched, cartoon-style, and buzzed at Makoto, _"Buggy eyed! I'm here to answer all your midday prayers!_"

Kyougetsu turned into a large certification of sale, strangely enough, signed by Sousuke Aizen.

_"You got me bona fide, certified, you got a spirit for your chare d'affaires!_" The contract wrapped Makoto up and then spun him loose, sending him careening off to be stopped by Kyougetsu's finger on his head.

_"I got a powerful urge to help you out! So what-cha wish? I really wanna know,[,i]" Kyougetsu insisted. He grabbed a tag out of Makoto's ear, yanking on it and producing a long, LONG list of paper._

_[i]"You got a list that's three miles long, no doubt! Well, all you gotta do is draw like so - and ohhhh-!_ Kyougetsu drew his own copy of his sword form, spinning it around like a prop plane's propeller. It vanished into Orihime, Tatsuki and Yoruichi again, dancing around cheerfully.

"_Mister Makoto, sir, have a wish or two or three!_" Tatsuki stopped and winked, pecking the embarassed Makoto on the cheek before turning into Kyougetsu.

_"I'm on the job, you big nabob!_" With that, Kyougetsu rose up and began snapping his fingers in time with the music. Dancing otters, ninja girls, flying birds, and fast cars moved and danced all over the suddenly huge interior of the store. Makoto saw Rukia dancing and laughing with Ichigo, who looked like he was ready to blow his top. Urahara and Yoruichi were playing around (Makoto quickly looked elsewhere), and all around him people were dancing and singing in the spotlight.

_"You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend! You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend,_" Kyougetsu sang, once again back in his suit and top hat and dancing on a platform, surrounded by beautiful women and sparklers.

_"You ain't never! Had a! Frrrriend liiiiike meeeeeeee!_" Kyougetsu crescendoed, as Makoto began to dance along energetically, spinning and laughing on another platform as fireworks went off behind the entire group.

Everything in the shop suddenly lifted up and began to fly, as Kyougetsu turned into a massive tornado that sucked up every foreign object, his last lyrics crying out over the ruckus.

_"You ain't never had a friend like me, HAH!_"

With a flash of light, the room was back to normal. Everyone was sitting where they'd been before the show, save Kyougetsu, who stood in front of a sign blinking on and off with the word _APPLAUSE_ written on it in neon letters.

"... What... The fuck... Just happened?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia blinked, and looked extremely disappointed that her bunny suit was gone, before shaking her head clear with a blush and cough. "Ah, er... Makoto? You all right?"

Makoto blinked a few times, staring at his zanpakuto... Before he grinned widely.

"All right? I'm _GREAT!_ Let's do it again!"

* * *

_Yeah, I know. Random stupid. Sorry guys, I really am._


	24. Chapter 24

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit

* * *

_

_Enjoy a bit of Bleach silliness._

_

* * *

_

Ten days to go before they could leave for Soul Society. Ten long, _long_ days. But every bit of knowledge and training was worth it. Ichigo had to get stronger, had to get better!

So it was for this reason he was feeling annoyed (well, more annoyed than usual) with Urahara as he sat him down in the middle of the store. He'd just finished resting after getting his powers back, and _now_ Urahara wanted to pause and chat?

Then again, he probably wouldn't take time out of training just for something useless. He didn't seem the type.

"Kurosaki-san, you've progressed very quickly in a short amount of time," Urahara said. "However, even at this rate you will only be able to match a few of the captains of Soul Society."

"So what? I can rescue Rukia some other way, right? Besides, I have to do it..."

"I know, I know," Urahara said. "But, I think you need more motivation."

"What more motivation do I need than saving Rukia?" Ichigo asked.

"That's exactly why you're here," Urahara said cheerfully. "Tessai?"

_KLUNK!_ And Ichigo's world went black.

Sometime later, Ichigo slowly woke up. _What... What hit him...?_

"Kurosaki-san? Are you all right?" Urahara asked.

"I'm... I'm fine," he said. "What happened?"

"You passed out in a bit of shock," Urahara said. "But I really can't blame you..."

"Over what?" Ichigo asked.

Urahara looked grave. "Kurosaki-san... I have learned some news from my sources in Soul Society. Something concerning Kuchiki-san."

"What? What about Rukia?" Ichigo asked.

"Apparently, she is... With child," Urahara said.

Ichigo's jaw dropped. His cheeks then turned bright red as certain memories rose in his mind.

"You mean... I'm... She's...?"

Urahara nodded.

"Yes, Kurosaki-san. You're going to be a father..."

Ichigo Kurosaki promptly fainted, "again", and slammed his head against the floor.

"Manager-san, are you sure this will work?"

Urahara smiled.

"Well... I don't believe it will hurt... And as long as my old friends do their part, well... It should come together quite nicely..."

* * *

The revelation of Rukia's pregnancy had sent Soul Society into a frenzy. The news was on everyone's lips, and with the prognosis "confirmed", Ukitake found he had new allies in fighting for Rukia's release.

Though he didn't think he really wanted Mayuri on his side... Then again, who did?

Still, the most surprising reaction was Byakuya's, which was why he was visiting Rukia once again.

"Captain? What is it?" Rukia asked. Ukitake managed a smile despite the grim situation.

"Well... It's not a release order yet... But, well..." He shrugged, and handed Rukia a note. Rukia frowned, and opened it up. She read it quickly.

"... _The Kuchiki clan recognizes the marriage between Kuchiki Rukia and Kuchiki Ichigo nee Kurosaki?!_" She screeched.

"Ah, um... Congratulations?" Ukitake said with a smile, rubbing the back of his head as Rukia seethed. "I thought you'd be happy... Now your baby will, you know..."

"Not be a bastard?!" Rukia snarled. Ukitake nodded.

"Er... Yeah..." At the furious look on the young woman's face, Ukitake coughed.

"Well, if you need me for anything I'll be reachable by butterfly goodbye!"

He left quickly-Rukia's temper was rather infamous, after all, and even at his strength level he wasn't going to take any chances of her hurting-Er, him hurting her...

* * *

_Another idea from convos between me and The Ero-Sennin. Are you really surprised?_

_Yes, Urahara decides to modify Ichigo's memories a bit in order to push his motivation in saving Rukia to it's absolute limit: Saving the girl he cares about and their unborn baby._

_Naturally, Urahara passes this info along to Soul Society in an effort to slow down Rukia's execution further-He has his suspicions at this time but he is trying to help. Ukitake pushes for Rukia's execution to be stayed due to "medical evidence". Naturally the execution proceeds but this might cause more chaos if the public outcry is enough against executing a pregnant woman. Rukia being aware it's a hoax or not, well, that depends on the writer._


	25. Chapter 25

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_Another bit for "Reflection".  
_

_

* * *

_  
Tousen led Makoto into what the younger Shinigami assumed was his sanctum. Though it could have easily been his lab or hell, even his disco. He had no idea what to make of it, all the big screens on the walls in the dark room. Makoto looked at Tousen intently.

_I thought he was blind?_

Wonderweiss babbled quietly to himself as he walked up beside Tousen. The two of them stared at the wall, and Makoto was left feeling uncomfortable in the silence.

"You are filled with energy," Tousen commented.

"Ah, well... Yeah. I don't like sitting still... Doing nothing," Makoto replied. Tousen nodded.

"You are conflicted... It is very different from your sire," he went on.

"Yeah well, I'm not a megalomaniac," Makoto said, his anxiety rising rather than lowering at this additional mention of Aizen. What the hell did the blind traitor want with him?

"... I am considering many things, and I wanted to know you before I made any decisions," Tousen replied, as though reading Makoto's mind. The younger Shinigami started.

"Huh?"

"Do not be surprised. Aizen is not the only one with skill in reading others," Tousen said. Wonderweiss whined, and Tousen lowered a hand to ruffle his blonde hair affectionately. "You are an open book. You cannot hide anything from me."

Makoto tensed, but decided to fight back the best way he knew how-With sarcasm.

"Well bravo Geordi La Forge, you've established I've got conflict," he snapped back. "What's next, that I want to get out of here? Ooh, do go on, do-!"

Tousen _moved_, and in the next moment he was standing right in front of Makoto, who stopped short. He glared at the sightless Shinigami-His spiritual power was great, but not as great as Aizen's, and he could withstand that.

_Sort of,_ he amended in his mind. Tousen was silent, before nodding and turning away.

"You can see?" He asked. Makoto blinked.

"Um..." He considered this question. Was it metaphorical? What was he asking? "I... Think so... Depends on what you want me to see."

"Auuu!" Wonderweiss cried. He bobbed his head up and down and looked excited. Tousen nodded, and looked at the wall. It lit up, and Makoto squinted as his eyes adjusted in the dark room. They widened when he saw what was on screen.

_Ichigo... Chad... Ishida...!_ He thought.

"They have come for you," Tousen said. "Aizen will be showing all of us this soon."

"... So why show me now?" Makoto asked.

"To see," Tousen replied simply. The screen vanished, and Makoto sensed another spiritual energy source behind him. He turned, and Sun-Sun was there, looking at him intently.

"Ah... Hey?" Makoto said. He looked at Tousen. "Um... What-?"

"She will escort you to the meeting room," Tousen said. "Do not be late." With that, Tousen vanished into flashstep, and Wonderweiss followed. Makoto blinked, and looked at Sun-Sun.

"... I have no idea what the fuck just happened," he admitted. Sun-Sun raised her sleeve and covered the lower half of her face.

"Is this not a common occurrence with you?" She asked.

Makoto snorted. "Cute. Really." He sighed. "Shall we?"

"Yes..."

Makoto shook his head as he emerged from Tousen's chamber and headed off. Sun-Sun would tell him where to go when he had to. Honestly, the whole thing with the blind Shinigami had been... Confusing and pointless, really. What was he supposed to take from it?

Aizen tested him, Gin tormented him, and Tousen just... Weirded him out. Was there any rhyme or reason to any of them? He wondered if he'd ever find out.

Part of him didn't want to.

* * *

_At this rate I'm considering my retirement from fanfiction. I just don't have the time, and my first original novel idea is breaking out. So, I'm not sure what to do._


	26. Chapter 26

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_Another bit for "Reflection". I would publish it as it's own story but I'm not sure how to build Makoto's relationship with the others. I know the ending but I don't know the middle part, essentially._

_

* * *

_

The meeting room was filled with Espada, their varied and concentrated spiritual signatures filling the room better than music could have ever done. The three captains sat at the head of the table, utterly unmoved by the reiatsu swirling around them in a silent storm.

At the other end of the table sat Makoto and Orihime, both in chairs far too big for them. Makoto took slow, deep breaths, which seemed unbearably loud to him. He glanced over at Orihime-She was in about the same state, forced calm. She seemed to be doing better than him, which Makoto was glad for.

Then she looked over at him, and he summoned up a comforting smile. She nodded slowly to him, and looked back at the table as Aizen spoke.

"My Espada, we have intruders," Aizen stated. Above the table, a sphere bubbled into view, five figures viewable within now. Makoto's heart beat faster.

_Renji... Rukia... How did they get here?_

"Kurosaki-kun," Orihime whispered.

"These intruders seek to rescue their comrades," Aizen explained, as though to a group of toddlers. "We will make every effort to ensure they are repelled. But first... Tea time."

"Sure we couldn't have naptime first? I think I'm feeling kind of tired from all this yapping."

All attention was now on him. Makoto held firm, smiling away, even if every gaze felt like a wire tightening around his throat.

"First tea, then business, Makoto-kun," Aizen said politely, smile never wavering. Makoto shrugged.

"Will there be sugar?"

"But of course," Aizen said. As the two loli Arrancar began to serve the tea, Makoto's mind began to frantically work as he gave Orihime a "devil may care" smile and shrug.

_Okay... Okay... I think I got it now,_ Makoto thought. _I have to out-Aizen him._

_I thought you were trying to avoid being him._ Kyougetsu asked.

_I AM avoiding that. I'm being a dork. He's not a dork. I mean, I've got the glasses and everything..._

_Orihime can look after herself,_ Kyougetsu reminded him. _You don't have to put up the mask again._

Makoto sipped his tea when he got it, smiling the whole time. _I know I'd feel better if there was someone next to me who wasn't worried._ Makoto decided to spend the tea time examining the Espada... And maybe have some fun. Keep his smile more natural.

The espadas all went through their tea in different ways. It was commonplace to them, after all, though Makoto noticed Emo Clown just drank it down as though he couldn't taste anything, the giant guy who had attacked with Emo Clown (Makoto decided to call him "Tiny" for simple irony) just tipped his cup upside down and gulped it in one go, the blonde woman with blonde hair (Halibel right? He was terrible with names) drank hers... Through her collar (weird), the tall guy with the eyepatch and ever-present Whale Grin (Jimbei seemed to come to mind for his nickname, but then Jimbei didn't smile... Maybe he could use irony again? Smiley was always an option) slurped it, the... Ambiuously gay pink haired guy with glasses drank his with an air of douche (Dr. Pink? Dr. Okama? He'd work on it), the black guy with piercings drank his as though receiving the nectar of the Gods (Dolemite), the crotchety old guy drank his with a sneer (Burger King Senior), some... Latin guy who looked sleepy drank his slowly (Robert Downey Jr), the guy with a giant phallic mask turned into some blue haired guy who looked like Ichigo (Ogichi maybe) and drank his, and finally, the turquoise-haired guy who had attacked and nearly killed Ichigo, Rukia, AND himself (His illusions hadn't really helped given he was so much faster than Makoto) didn't touch his. Fluffer McKitty suggested itself as a name, but Makoto wasn't sure why.

Makoto finished his tea. Aizen looked across the table.

"Finished already?"

"Yes. I really want to hear you resume monologuing," Makoto said cheerfully. "Fluffer McKitty over there looks dying to hear more."

McKitty snarled at him. "What'd you call me you bastard?"

"It loses something in the translation, I'll admit, but it's a fitting name for you. Or would you prefer McJagger? You've got this rock star thing going on," Makoto continued.

_Clever,_ Kyougetsu said dryly. _Going to make a joke about his mother next?_

_Maybe later,_ Makoto said.

McKitty looked ready to jump across the table and kick his ass. Makoto was pretty certain he could do it a second time-Last time he'd barely had to expend any effort kicking all of their asses.

_So why are you doing it?_ Kyougetsu asked. _What are you doing?_

"Grimmjow, control yourself," Aizen said. He finished his cup of tea, and smiled across the table at Makoto. "There is a very important reason I had Makoto-kun brought here."

He held up a hand. Within it was a small orb. Makoto's heartrate jumped again, racing now, but he somehow managed to keep himself from freaking out.

"The Hōgyoku?" Makoto asked. "Shame I didn't bring my ping-pong paddle..."

"My dear Makoto-kun... You are such a fascinating individual," Aizen said, slowly rising. "Rather than make threats, you make jokes. Rather than charge first, you follow the leader. When left alone you fight, yes, but not like your companions. You are markedly different from all of them." Aizen's smile never faltered, but the feeling in the room was suddenly, starkly different. Makoto felt his hands start shaking, but gripped the table as he rose to his feet to make them stop. He didn't dare look at Orihime-He didn't think he could take looking at her right now.

"And do you know why?" Aizen asked.

Makoto took a deep breath. He had that sudden, terrible feeling he couldn't make a joke right now. Mainly because, right now, he had no distance from the thing he was mocking.

"Because... What... I'm you?" Makoto asked.

The Hōgyoku gleamed, as something like laughter went through him.

"Let's find out, shall we?" Aizen asked. The Orb seemed to expand in front of him, blotting out everything. He scarcely had time to hear Orihime call out his name, see her reach out her hand for him, before everything went black.

_NoI'mnothereI'...?_

"Where is anyone?"

Makoto blinked, gasping for breath as though exhausted. He looked around frantically, seeing a convoluted castle built of yellow and red metals below him, and water surrounding it. The sky was almost orange despite there being no sun. He turned away from the battlements to the source of the question.

"Ishida?" He asked. The Quincy archer pushed his glasses up.

"No. I represent your latent homosexual tendencies."

Makoto blinked. He blinked again. Ishida sighed.

"If you make a crack about your lack of surprise-"

"No! No! I wasn't! I..." Makoto winced at Ishida's glare. "Okay, okay, got me there. So... Seriously?"

"Of course not," Ishida snorted. "This isn't about anything so juvenile... Then again, given who I'm talking to-"

"Let me guess, you're my snarkiness," Makoto guessed again. "That would fit, right? You're always making biting remarks."

"We're both making remarks," Ishida said. "And our reasoning is precisely the same for both of us." Ishida walked out to the edge of the battlement and looked out across the sea. "Distance."

"Distance?" Makoto asked. "No, no, look... I make jokes because... Because that's what I do! I'm the joker, the-the comic relief! I'd screw up the dynamics! I mean, Orihime's the quirky girly non-sequitor comic relief, I'm the dry, goofy comic relief. It.. It works..."

"Yes, you're the joker. You're not the hero," Ishida said.

Makoto nodded. "Right."

"Is that what you want?"

Makoto blinked. He looked at the sea himself.

"... Well... It's not like I can be anything else."

"You're right. Nobody would take you seriously," Ishida said. "Aside from the villain himself."

"Yeah, well... It's because he wants to turn me to evil."

"Does he?"

"Look Aizen-"

"I'm not Aizen," Ishida said. "You know I'm not."

"... Yeah. I do," Makoto said quietly. "But it doesn't make you part of me."

"What else could I be?" Ishida asked. Makoto gripped the battlement more tightly. He looked back at Ishida. "Where's Kyogetsu? Is he being blocked somehow?"

"Yes."

"So... What are you, exactly?"

Ishida smiled, and stepped up onto the battlement. He looked over at Makoto, before looking back at the sea and jumping off. Makoto dashed to try and grab him, but saw that he had vanished below. Makoto gulped.

"Great... Just great..." He muttered. He took a few deep breaths. "It's okay... It's okay... I'm just... Facing myself. That's it." He nodded. "I can do this. It's me... It's me..."

He pounded the battlement with his fists, took another deep breath, and jumped off himself. The sooner he got through this, the better... Whatever the ending might be.

So, thoughts?


	27. Chapter 27

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_Another bit for "Reflection". I would publish it as it's own story but I'm not sure how to build Makoto's relationship with the others. I know the ending but I don't know the middle part, essentially._

_

* * *

_

Leaving the defeated Dordonii far behind, Ichigo ran through vast corridor after vast corridor, Nel clinging to his shoulder much like a certain pink haired vice-captain did to the shoulder of a certain Eleventh Squad captain. Not that Ichigo was dwelling on such similarities, he had a princess to save.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

Orihime's voice echoed throughout the vast chamber Ichigo was now standing in, and the young substitute shinigami looked about. His eyes zeroed in on the white-clad figure of Orihime, standing in a doorway quite far to his right.

"Inoue!" Ichigo called out. Nel stared intently at this apparition, and frowned deeply.

"That's the girl you're gonna save, Ithsigo?"

"Looks like," Ichigo said grimly. "Hang on, I'm coming to-!"

"Kurosaki-kun!"

Ichigo's head jerked back to the left. The mirror image of Orihime appeared in a similar doorway. Same expression of worry and hope, same posture.

"Huh? Twins? Ithsigo sooo lucky!" Nel said cheerfully.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Kurosaki-kun!"

More Orhimes appeared, surrounding Ichigo, all of them crying out and looking no different from the real thing. Ichigo scowled.

"Aizen... Come out! Enough games!"

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to play a game, Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo spun around, and glared into the smiling face of another Orihime. She smiled demurely at him, a light blush tinting her cheeks.

"Enough! Where are you hiding?" Ichigo demanded. He tried to zero in on a reiatsu source, any reiatsu source that might help... But his senses were paltry at best, and among all of these shadows he couldn't pick out a real one.

Moreover, it didn't make sense.

_Why is Aizen toying with me? It's not-_

Ichigo could only grunt as a fist slammed into the side of his jaw, enough force behind it to send him flying through the wall of the vast chamber and into the outside air. Ichigo winced as his eyes were forced to adjust to the sun, and managed to bring his momentum under control. He slid to a relative stop in mid-air, and looked down at the large hole left by his assault.

_...Like him..._

"You'd have had a lot more fun if you'd played along, but then, you never were one for jokes were you?" Orihime's voice asked, no clear source. Ichigo's grip tightened on Zangetsu. He looked down and saw Nel's tiny form sprawled on the sands of the desert.

"NEL!"

"I'd pay more attention to what's going on up here, Ichigo," commented a masculine voice. A familiar voice.

Ichigo turned around. "Makoto?"

His eyes widened. Floating in mid air, wearing a crooked smile on pale white skin with narrowed, glowing yellow eyes, stood Makoto.

"Hope you don't mind the change in duds too much," Makoto said, flexing the large, bone-like angel wings on his back. "Kind of dramatic but hey... It's how I came out."

"What...?" _The Hōgyoku_ whispered in the back of his mind as the likely answer, filling Ichigo with equal parts horror and rage. Makoto kept up his smile, his brown hair turned black as sackcloth and waving lightly in the breeze.

"Aizen had a pretty good plan. Inspired, you might say," Makoto said. "Kidnap me and Orihime to lure you and your buddies to Hueco Mundo. Soul Society would send reinforcements-Probably captains. And after their forces were halved, Aizen's forces would cross over into the Living World and make Karakura into their big Spirit Key thing. Orihime would be here..." Makoto looked directly into Ichigo's eyes. "And I would be the spearpoint for Aizen's invasion."

"You're saying it like it's past tense!" Ichigo snarled. "What's going on?"

"You remember _Star Wars_, right Ichigo?" Makoto asked. His spiritual energy spiked, to the point Ichigo, even in Bankai form, was having trouble holding his position. A cruel smile came over Makoto's face-Not like Aizen's at all, which somehow made it worse.

"The student is now the master... He's dead. Gin and Tousen too." Makoto raised his hand, and his zanpakuto appeared in it. He slashed it through the air a few times, testing it's weight, before pointing the weapon at Ichigo.

"So why are you doing this?" Ichigo demanded.

"Because the plan has changed in only one detail," Makoto replied. "_I_ am going to become God."

"... I really hope this is another of your stupid jokes, Makoto," Ichigo said flatly. Makoto sighed.

"You never could take me seriously, could you Ichigo?"

"I don't take you seriously when you're saying you're going to-!"

Ichigo barely blocked a blow from Makoto's blade. As they straied against eachother, swords locked hilt to hilt, Makoto's smile grew, exposing pure white teeth.

"Maybe I am being a bit overly dramatic about it," Makoto chuckled. "But being the villain is supposed to be _fun_, isn't it? And that makes you the hero. So come on, Ichigo," he said, holding up one hand from his hilt, a cero forming inside his palm, "_play your part_"

Ichigo knocked Makoto back. He held his hand up to the top of hairline. His eyes narrowed across the gap as Makoto's cero continued to grow to a monstrous size. Black flames erupted around Ichigo's fingers as he pulled down his mask, eyes burning yellow through the eyeholes.

"... _GETSUGA TENSHO!_" Ichigo bellowed, a swing of his blade letting loose a massive arc of black fire. Makoto grinned and pointed his completed cero back at him.

"_GRAN REY CERO!_" Makoto bellowed. The massive energy releases met in a single point, exploding into a small world of pure white light. Through it, the two figures-One white, one black-crossed through and clashed, the collision of their swords ringing out over the desert.

* * *

_Not everything is as it seems, dear readers. Stay tuned._


	28. Chapter 28

Laundry Shots

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I writing this for profit_

_Another bit for "Reflection". I would publish it as it's own story but I'm not sure how to build Makoto's relationship with the others. I know the ending but I don't know the middle part, essentially._

* * *

Makoto landed on a balcony below, turning his head to the left and the right. Nothing was there. His eyes narrowed.

"Great... I guess my head's playing games with me," he muttered. He turned around and saw an upside-down door, the interior of the castle filled with darkness. He sighed, and scratched the top of his head.

"Guess the inside of my mind or soul or whatever couldn't be well lit," he said flatly, entering the interior. He held up a hand and muttered a quick kido spell. A ball of light appeared in his hand, lighting up the room. He looked around.

"Huh... Nothing..." He walked deeper into the castle, looking around the dark, mish-mashed architecture. Modern, Western, Japanese, and ancient variations on them made up the inside of the castle. Makoto sighed.

"Wonder what this says about me..."

"Maybe you're crazy," suggested another voice.

"Yeah, maybe I-WOAH!" He spun around quickly, and tripped over the end of his jacket. "OOF!"

A giggle filled the room as the kido failed, casting it back into darkness. Makoto groaned and pushed himself back up.

"Ow... That was humiliating," he mumbled. He looked around, and reactivated the kido. He saw the faint outline of a door down the long hallway. He shrugged and walked down through it, coming to a large room filled to the brim with statues. Gray, smooth marble statues.

"Huh... Wonder what this means," Makoto said, scratching his head. He looked at a statue of Rukia, in her school uniform, looking very disapproving. "Ah, Rukia in her default mode." He looked to another statue, this one of Chad standing very... Stoically. "Also default for Chad..."

In total there were ten statues, each of a specific person: Ichigo, Chad, Rukia, Hinamori, Tatsuki, Ishida, Orihime, Aizen, Urahara and his mother. Each statue was very lifelike, right down to the strands of their hair.

They were arranged in a circle, and Makoto sat in the center and pondered each one, his fingers tapping nervously against his sword and against the floor as he did.

"Okay, so... Each is of a person important to my life, okay, there's that," Makoto pondered aloud. He scratched the top of his head again. He stared intently at the statue of Orihime. "Maybe I need to arrange them in the order I met them...?"

He stood up and wrapped his arms around Tatsuki's waist. "Nngh... Gnngh...!" He tried to pull the statue up, all of his strength put into it. "Okay... Um... No, that's not helping."

He sighed and bowed his head. "There's gotta be a reason for me to have statues of the most important people in my life in a circular room, right? It wouldn't just be here for no reason, right? Right! So..." He looked up and frowned. "What is it?"

"Maybe it's just the people who are most important to you," another voice suggested.

"But that's-HEY!" He got up and turned around. "Who said that?"

The Orihime statue gained colors. Literally, they just popped onto her, as life popped into her. She waved her hand and smiled. "Hello Kikanuma-kun!"

"Er, hey Inoue... Part of my soul," Makoto said, waving awkwardly back. Orihime stepped off her pedestal and walked up to Makoto, holding her hands behind her back with an impish smile. "You... Aren't my libido, are you?"

"Hm? Well, maybe. It'd be a good fit, wouldn't it? A part of you that's out of control," Orihime commented with a sage nod.

"Right, right... But I don't think I need to reconcile with that... Just yet," Makoto said. "So, what are you?"

"Let's see if you can figure it out," Orihime said gamely. She stepped back, and a chess board atop a small stone table arose. Two chairs rose with it. Orihime sat in one, and Makoto sat in the other with a shrug.

"Okay, chess... Mind games huh?" Makoto said. Orihime giggled.

"Yes! Mind games! Though I think I'd like video mind games better," she said. She waved her hand over the board, and as it passed chess pieces appeared. Makoto frowned as he saw that he had been given the black set, and looked up at her.

"Black for me?"

"Ladies first, after all," Orihime replied. "Shall we?"

Makoto shrugged again. "Do I have a choice?"

Orihime stared at him strangely, and then smiled. "Of course you do."

"Right," Makoto said. "But it's not a pleasant one, is it?"

Orihime shrugged. "Might be. That's up to you."

They began the game, Makoto responding to Orihime's wild opening with some skill. He wasn't exactly a chess master-He knew how to play and some of the basic openings but that was about it. His mother had insisted he take it up while he was younger, but like many things he'd lost interest when he'd entered high school.

"Checkmate."

Still, he knew when he was getting trounced. Which happened again...

"Checkmate."

And again...

"Checkmate."

And again... Until Makoto had lost count of how many games they'd played.

"Checkmate!" Orihime gave him a smile and a shrug. Makoto, on the other side, was glaring intently at the board as though betrayed.

"Seriously, I don't get what the hell is going on. The law of averages says I should win at least _once_."

"This is your mind, Kikanuma-kun," Orihime said. "Why do you think you're losing?"

"Um... Is it my play style?"

Orihime kept smiling. Makoto thought about it, hard.

"Is it because... I keep trying to keep my forces intact, at the expense of the goal?"

Orihime shook her head and giggled. "You're funny."

Makoto shrugs and sighs. "Well, yeah, that's me. Funny. That's what I have to do."

"Have to?" Orihime asked.

Makoto stared at her. "Well... What else am I supposed to do? Ichigo's the Hero, Ishida's like, the Lancer or something, Chad's the Big Guy, Rukia's the Smart Girl. And you're... Um... The Chick. Slash Healer. There's nothing else for me to be but comic relief."

"But is Rukia not also a Chick?" Orihime asked. "And can not Ishida also be smart? What about Chad? What is he?" She smiled impishly. "And I think you're forgetting Sixth Ranger on that list."

"You read TVTropes too?"

"No, but I am in your mind," Orihime reminded him gently. Makoto sat back and looked around the statues. He looked back at the chess set. He thought for a while.

"... Another game, while you think?" Orihime asked.

"Well, if you want to," Makoto said, taking hold of some of the pieces and setting them back up.

"Well, I don't really want to," Orihime said. "But, if you insist on playing, we can."

Makoto froze, the knight and the queen in his hands. He looked up at Orihime, who smiled innocently. She took his queen and studied it carefully.

"Kurosaki-kun is much like a queen," Orihime said. "He's powerful, so powerful every movement he makes causes things to happen across the board. He effects everything, no matter what. But the queen is always behind the charge-Something the real Kurosaki-kun would never do." She looked back up at Makoto. She put the queen down, and picked up a rook.

"Chad is much like a rook, fighting straight through anything that gets in his way, defending Ichigo or the king... But he's not so inflexible. He would never let someone else take a hit he would not try to take for them." Orihime put that down, and picked up a piece from her side-A white knight.

"And Ishida... Ishida is much like a knight-Noble, compassionate, determined... But a chess knight is just a horse. A horse that hops around the board, in and out, randomly. Ishida is far more precise." She put the piece down and looked back at Makoto. Makoto stared back.

"You don't have to play by the rules, when the rules don't apply," Orihime said. Makoto looked around the chamber, so baffling before. Somehow, it now felt so... Simple. He smiled, and looked back.

"Thank... You?" He blinked. Orihime was back to being a statue, smiling into the dark room. Makoto sighed, and rose. He headed for the exit... And then ran back, just to double check. Satisfied she was still there, he turned and walked out, light giggling following in his wake.

* * *

_... Your guess is as good as mine._


End file.
